GLOSSARY

1. accused (n.) - a person or group of people who are charge with or on trial for a crime.

e.g. The accused was ordered to stand trial on a number of charge.

2. bailiff (n.) - an official in a court of law who keeps order, looks after prisoners, etc.

e.g. The bailiff escorts the jury in and out of court.

3. case (n.) - a legal action, esp. one to be decided in court of law.

e.g. To summarize a case; to try a case.

4. charge with (v.) - formally accuse someone of (an offence).

e.g. He was charged with robbery.

5. consequence (n.) - follows logically from some causal action or condition.

e.g. Legal cosiquences.

6. courtroom (n.) - the place or room in which a court of law meets.

e.g. Acourtroom is the actual enclosed space in which a judge regularly holds court.

7. crime (n.) - an illegal action or activity for which a person can be punished by law.

e.g. To commit a crime.

8. defence (n.) - the case presented by or on behalf of the party accused of a crime or being sued in a civil lawsuit.

e.g. He has insisted on conducting his own defence.

9. deliberations (n.) - long and careful consideration or discussion.

e.g. After five minutes of deliberation, he was found guilty of murdering the president.

10. discharge (v.) - a) release from the custody or restraint of the law.

e.g. She was conditionally discharged for two years at Oxford Crown Court.

b) relieve (a juror or jury) from serving in a case.

e.g. To discharge a jury from the case.

11. discretion (n.) - being able to decide correctly what should be done.

e.g. The judge refused the application on the ground that he had a judicial discretion to examine evidence.

12.examination-in-chief (n.) - the questioning of a witness by the party which has called that witness to give evidence, in support of the case being made.

e.g. Leading questions are forbidden in examination-in-chief.

13. forbid (v.) - to tell someone not to do something.

e.g. The contract forbids sale of the goods to the USA.

14. foreman (n.) - (in a law court) a person who presides over a jury and speaks on its behalf.

e.g. The foreman is often chosen before the trial begins or upon the beginning of deliberations.

15. indictment (n.) - a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime.

e.g. An indictment for conspiracy.

16. jury (n.) - a body of people (typically twelve in number) sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them in court.

e.g. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts.

17. oath (n.) - a formal promise to tell the truth.

e.g. To swear an oath.

18. objection (n.) - the action of challenging or disagreeing with something.

e.g. To overrule the objection; to sustain the objection.

19. offence (n.) - a breach of a law or rule; an illegal act.

e.g. Thirteen people have been charged with treason – an offence which can carry the death penalty.

20.overrule(v.) - to decide officially that the decision is incorrect or not valid.

e.g. Objection overruled!

21. penalty (n.) - a punishment imposed for breaking a law, rule, or contract.

e.g. The charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years' imprisonment.

22. perjury (n.) - the offence or wilfully telling an untruth or making a misrepresentation under oath.

e.g. This witness has committed perjury.

23. prosecute (v.) - a) to institute legal proceedings against (a person or organization). b) to conduct the case against the party being accused or sued in a lawsuit.

e.g. The attorney who will prosecute the case says he cannot reveal how much money is involved.

24. re-examine (v.) - to examine (one's own witness) again, after cross-examination by the opposing counsel.

e.g. Lawyer for petitioners, Philip Addison, will today re-examine their star witness.

25. release (v.) - to allow or enable to escape from confinement; to set free.

e.g. To release o parole.

26. sentence (n.) - the punishment that a person receives after they have been found guilty of a crime.

e.g. To serve sentence; to impose a sentence; to pronounce a sentence; to suspend sentence.

27. summary offence (n.+adj.) - minor crime which can be tried only in a magistrates' court.

e.g. Summary offence is tried without a jury.

28. supervise (v.) - to watch somebody carefully.

e.g. Do probation officers supervise other offenders?

29. supervision order (n.) - court order for a young offender to be placed under the supervision of the probation officer.

e.g.The former MP has been given a two-year supervision order.

30. sustain(v.) – to confirm or to support.

e.g. The allegations of discrimination were sustained.

31. testify (v.) - give evidence as a witness in a law court.

e.g. He testified against his own commander.

32. testimony (n.) -a formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court of law.

e.g. His testimony was an important element of the prosecution case.

33. verdict (n.) - a decision on a disputed issue in a civil or criminal case.

e.g. Deliberations on a verdict; to reach a verdict.

34. witness (n.) - a person giving sworn testimony to a court of law or the police.

e.g. Witness box.

35. Your Honour(n.) — a form of address used to certain judges.

e.g. In some courts the judges are referred to as "Your Honour".