| Attorney = counsellor
| a lawyer who speaks in court (AmE)
| Mr Clark is a prominent attorney.
|
| Barrister
| a lawyer who speaks in the higher law courts (BrE)
| Mrs Green wants to become a barrister.
|
| Defendant
| the person who has been accused of a crime
| The defendant was obviously guilty.
|
| (Circumstantial / decisive / documentary / irrefutable, etc) evidence (of/for)
Give evidence
| some information given in a court of law to prove something
| There was no real evidence against the criminal.
The girl gave evidence for the defence in this case.
|
| Jury
| a group of 12 people in a court of law who listen to the facts about a crime and decide whether the person accused is guilty or not
| The jury found the defendant guilty.
|
| Indictsmb (for) smth Indictment
| to charge someone with a criminal offence
| They indicted the man for
fraud.
The man is under indictment
for fraud.
|
| Lawsuit
File a lawsuit
| a charge or complaint against someone that is made in a court of law by a person / company
| They wanted to bring / file a lawsuit against the company.
|
| Prosecute (smb for smth)
Bring a prosecution against smb
Prosecutor
| to accuse someone of a crime
to bring a charge against someone for a crime
a lawyer who proves that the person who is on trial is guilty
| The murderer will be prosecuted. They brought a prosecution against two drug dealers.
The chief prosecutor asked for the maximum sentence.
|
| Solicitor
| a lawyer who works mainly from an office but sometimes appear in the less important courts
| John works for a firm of solicitors.
We decided to put the matter into the hands of a solicitor.
|
| Summon smb to smth
Summons
Serve a summons on smb Summons
| to order someone to come to a
court of law
an order to appear in a court of
law
to order someone to appear in a
court of law
| Mr Thomson was summoned to appear in court.
They served a summons on Mr
Thomson.
He was summonsed to appear
as a witness.
|
| Testimony
Testify (that / against /for)
| a formal statement, such as the one a witness makes in a court of law
to make a formal statement in a court of law
| Your testimony is very important in this prosecution's case.
The witness testified that she saw the defendant at the scene of the crime.
She testified against the defendant He testified for the accused.
|
| (Chief/ direct /false, etc) witness (for the prosecution /for the defence);
Witness (v)
| a person who sees some event and is able to tell other people what happened (in a court of law)
| The witness was called to tell the jury what he had seen. Several people witnessed the accident.
|
| Warrant
(Issue a warrant for smb's
arrest)
Search warrant
| permission from a court of law allowing the police to take a particular action
permission to go into someone’s house to look for something
| A warrant was issued for Ben's arrest.
|
| (Return /give) a verdict
(Reach) a verdict
| a decision made by a jury in a court of law about whether someone is guilty or not guilty of a crime
| The jury gave the right verdict
|
| (Heavy, light) sentence
Life sentence
Death sentence (penalty)
Serve a sentence
| long / short time in prison
very long time in prison punishment by death
spend time in prison as a punishment
| Ted is serving a life sentence for murder.
Bill will face a sentence of five years in prison.
|
|
Pass / pronounce a sentence
Sentence (to)
| to state what a punishment will
be
to give somebody a punishment
|
The judge sentenced him to four years' imprisonment.
|
| (Parking) fine
Impose a fine
|
money that one has to pay as a punishment
|
He paid a parking fine.
He paid a heavy fine for driving drunk.
|
|
(Life) imprisonment
|
the state of being in prison
| The criminal was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.
|
| Bail
Release smb on bail
| to let someone out of prison when bail is paid (money left with a court of law to prove that a prisoner will return when his/her trial starts)
| They released the accused on bail.
|
| (Give smb)community service
| a punishment in which the criminal has to do useful work to help people
| They gave the youth community service.
|
| (Make smb) pay compensation
| to make one pay somebody money because one has harmed or hurt him/her in some way
| Many people think that criminals should pay their victims compensation.
|
| Ban smb from doing smth / to be banned from doing sth
| to say that something must not be done
| Ted was banned from driving.
|
| Endorse smb s licence (BrE)
| to write a driving offence on smb's driving licence
| Tom's licence was endorsed for speeding.
|
| (On) parole
To parole
| permission for someone to
leave prison, on the condition
that he/she promises to behave
well
to allow someone to leave
prison but visit a parole officer
at the police station regularly
| The criminal was released on parole after serving three years.
|
| (Put smb on) probation
Probationer
|
a system that allows some criminals not to go to prison but see a probation officer someone who has been put on
probation
|
The woman was put on probation after several months in prison.
|
| Probation officer
| an officer who guides offenders put on probation by the court
| Tom Brown is a probation officer.
| |
| Dismiss a court case
| to stop a court case before a result is achieved
| They dismissed the case because of lack of evidence.
| |
| | | | | | |
1. What special qualities should a person have to become a successful defence lawyer / an experienced solicitor / a wise judge / a strict and fair prosecutor?
2. What's the difference between circumstantial and decisive evidence?
3. Who can be summoned to appear in court?
4. What is the role of a witness in a court of law?
5. Can a jury make a decision about how a guilty person should be punished?
