IMPORTANT LAW TERMS
MEANING WITH EXPLANATION
LAW:
Administration of justice by certain rules
CIVILIZATION:
Stage of human social development and a process by which
society reach an advocate stage
A
ADVOCATE:
A lawyer who practices law in court
ATTORNEY:
A lawyer who represent clients in court
SOLICITOR:
Professional who provide legal advice to clients
BARRISTER:
An advocate who practices in a higher court
ABDUCTION:
Wrongfully taking away or detaining any person by force
or by fraud
ABSCONDING:
To run away from legal proceedings
ACCOMPLICE:
Companion in crime
ADJUDICATION:
Formal judgment or decision of the court
AD HOC:
For specific purpose
ADVERSE POSSESSION:
To possess someone else's property
AFFRAY:
Fighting in a public place which disturbs the peace
AID :
To assist (physically)
ABET:
To assist (mentally)
ALIBI:
Somewhere else
AMICUS-CURIAE:
Friend of a court (witness)
ANIMUS:
Intention
A POSTERIORI:
Agreement derived from a past event
AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM:
No one should be condemned unheard
B
BAIL:
A person granted bail undertakes to pay a specific sum to the court if he fails
to appear on the date set by the court
BAILIFF:
Officer of court
BAILMENT:
Bailer transfer goods to the bailee for a particular purpose
BENEFICIARY :
One who benefits from will
BIGAMY:
The offense of marrying again even having a living husband/ wife
BONAFIDE:
Good faith
C
CAVEAT:
Notice or warning
CAVEAT EMPTOR:
Beware, Buyer,
CAVEAT VENDITOR:
Beware vendor (seller)
CLEMENCY:
Mercy / pardon
CONJUGAL RIGHTS:
Marital rights
CONSENSUS AD IDEM:
Consent on the same thing in the same sense
CORAM NON-JUDICE:
Legal proceeding without a judge
CORPUS:
Body
D
DEFACTO:
In fact (according to fact)
DE JURE:
According to the legal right
DELINQUENCY:
Minor crime
DEMAGOGUE:
A lead who gains support by manipulating people
DISCHARGE OF CONTRACT:
Termination of contract obligation
DURESS:
The threat, violence, and pressure
E
ESTOPPEL:
To stop someone from changing his previous statement
EX-OFFICIO:
By virtue of holding an office
EX-PARTE:
Favoring one party over other
EX-POST-FACTO:
Law made after specific crime
CIVIL LAW:
Retrospective application
CRIMINAL LAW:
Prospective application
EXTRADITION:
To handover the accused from one state to another
F
FACTUM:
Fact
FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP:
Relationship-based on trust and faith
FLAGRANT delicto:
To be caught red-handed
G
GENOCIDE:
Mass killing
GRATUITOUS:
Done with gratitude (done for free)
H
HABEAS CORPUS:
You have body
HOMICIDE:
Act of killing
HORSE TRADING:
Bargaining in politics
HOSTILE:
Opposed
HOSTILE WITNESS:
Who is unwilling to take the truth
HYPOTHECATION:
Using property as security (no legal transfer of ownership)