English > law: 7 senses > noun 1, group| Meaning | The collection of rules imposed by authority. |
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| Example | "civilization presupposes respect for the law" |
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| Synonym | jurisprudence |
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| Category of | Bakke decision | A ruling by the Supreme Court on affirmative action |
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| Bill of Rights | A statement of fundamental rights and privileges (especially the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution) |
| Bureau of Justice Assistance, BJA | The bureau in the Department of Justice that assists local criminal justice systems to reduce or prevent crime and violence and drug abuse |
| Conservative Judaism | Jews who keep some of the requirements of the Mosaic law but allow for adaptation of other requirements (as some of the dietary laws) to fit modern circumstances |
| Department of Justice, Justice Department, Justice, DoJ | The United States federal department responsible / responsible for enforcing federal laws / laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation) |
| Eighteenth Amendment | An amendment to the Constitution of the United States adopted in 1920 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI | A federal law enforcement agency that is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Justice |
| Fifth Amendment | An amendment to the Constitution of the United States that imposes restrictions on the government's prosecution of persons accused / accused of crimes |
| First Amendment | An amendment to the Constitution of the United States guaranteeing the right of free expression / expression |
| Fourteenth Amendment | An amendment to the Constitution of the United States adopted in 1868 |
| Jane Doe | An unknown or fictitious woman who is a party to legal proceedings |
| John Doe | An unknown or fictitious man who is a party to legal proceedings |
| Nineteenth Amendment | An amendment to the Constitution of the United States adopted in 1920 |
| Richard Roe | An unknown or fictitious party to legal proceedings |
| Riot Act | A former English law requiring mobs to disperse after a magistrate reads the law to them |
| Scopes trial | A highly publicized trial in 1925 when John Thomas Scopes violated a Tennessee state law by teaching evolution in high school |
| Supreme Court, Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court | The highest federal court in the United States |
| United States Code, U. S. Code | A consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States |
| United States Constitution, U.S. Constitution, US Constitution, Constitution, Constitution of the United States | The constitution written at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and subsequently ratified by the original thirteen states |
| abatement of a nuisance, nuisance abatement | (law) the removal or termination or destruction of something that has been found to be a nuisance |
| accretion | (law) an increase / increase / increase in a beneficiary's share in an estate (as when a co-beneficiary dies or fails to meet some condition or rejects the inheritance) |
| acquittal | A judgment of not guilty |
| acquittance, release | A legal document evidencing the discharge of a debt or obligation |
| act, enactment | A legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body |
| actual damages, compensatory damages, general damages | (law) compensation for losses that can readily be proven to have occurred and for which the injured party has the right to be compensated |
| actual eviction | The physical ouster of a tenant / tenant from the leased premises |
| actual possession | (law) immediate and direct physical control over property |
| adjective, procedural | Relating to court practice and procedure as opposed to the principles of law |
| administrative hearing | A hearing that takes place outside the judicial process before hearing examiners who have been granted judicial authority specifically for the purpose of conducting such hearings |
| administrative law | The body of rules and regulations and orders and decisions created by administrative agencies of government |
| adoption | A legal proceeding that creates a parent-child relation between persons not related by blood |
| advice and consent | A legal expression in the United States Constitution that allows the Senate to constrain the President's / President's powers of appointment and treaty-making |
| advocate, counsel, counselor, counsellor, counselor-at-law, pleader | A lawyer who pleads / pleads cases in court |
| advowson | The right in English law of presenting a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice |
| affidavit | written declaration made under oath |
| affirmation | A judgment by a higher court that the judgment of a lower court was correct and should stand |
| affirmative pleading | Any defensive pleading that affirms / affirms facts rather than merely denying the facts alleged by the plaintiff |
| aggrieve | infringe on the rights of |
| alibi | (law) a defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question |
| alienable | transferable to another owner |
| alienation | (law) the voluntary and absolute transfer of title and possession of real property from one person to another |
| allegation | (law) a formal accusation against somebody (often in a court of law) |
| alterable | (of the punishment ordered by a court) capable of being changed to one less severe |
| alternative pleading, pleading in the alternative | A pleading that alleges facts so separate that it is difficult to determine which facts the person intends to rely on |
| amicus curiae, friend of the court | An adviser to the court on some matter of law who is not a party to the case |
| amicus curiae brief | A brief presented by someone interested in influencing the outcome of a lawsuit but who is not a party to it |
| amnesty, pardon, free pardon | The formal act of liberating someone |
| amnesty | grant a pardon / pardon to (a group of people) |
| ancestral, hereditary, patrimonial, transmissible | inherited or inheritable by established rules (usually legal rules) of descent |
| annulment, invalidation | (law) a formal termination (of a relationship or a judicial proceeding etc) |
| answer | The principal pleading by the defendant in response to plaintiff's complaint |
| anti-drug law | A law forbidding the sale or use of narcotic drugs |
| anti-racketeering law, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, RICO Act, RICO | law intended to eradicate organized crime by establishing strong sanctions and forfeiture provisions |
| antitrust case | A legal action brought against parties who are charged with limiting free competition in the market place |
| antitrust legislation, antitrust law | law intended to promote free competition in the market place by outlawing monopolies |
| appeal | (law) a legal proceeding in which the appellant resorts to a higher court for the purpose of obtaining a review of a lower court decision and a reversal of the lower court's judgment or the granting / granting of a new trial |
| appellate, appellant | Of or relating to or taking account of appeals (usually legal appeals) |
| appointment | (law) the act of disposing of property by virtue of the power of appointment |
| appropriation bill | A legislative act proposing to authorize the expenditure of public funds for a specified purpose |
| arbitration | (law) the hearing and determination of a dispute by an impartial referee agreed to by both parties (often used to settle disputes between labor and management) |
| assignee | (law) the party to whom something is assigned (e.g., someone to whom a right or property is legally transferred) |
| assignment | The instrument by which a claim or right or interest or property is transferred from one person to another |
| assignor | (law) the party who makes an assignment |
| assize | An ancient writ issued by a court of assize to the sheriff for the recovery of property |
| assumed name, fictitious name, Doing Business As, DBA | (law) a name under which a corporation conducts business that is not the legal name of the corporation as shown in its articles of incorporation |
| attachment | A writ authorizing the seizure of property that may be needed for the payment of a judgment in a judicial proceeding |
| attestation | The action of bearing witness |
| attorn | Acknowledge a new land owner as one's landlord |
| attorney general | The chief law officer of a country or state |
| award, awarding | A grant made by a law court |
| bail | The legal system that allows an accused person to be temporarily released from custody (usually on condition that a sum of money guarantees their appearance at trial) |
| bail out | Free on bail |
| bank-depositor relation | The responsibility of a bank to act in the best interests of the depositors |
| bankruptcy | A legal process intended to insure equality among the creditors of a corporation declared to be insolvent |
| bar | (law) a railing that encloses the part of the courtroom where the judges and lawyers sit and the case is tried |
| barratry | The offense of vexatiously persisting in inciting lawsuits and quarrels |
| barrister | A British or Canadian lawyer who speaks in the higher courts of law on behalf of either the defense or prosecution |
| bench | (law) the seat for judges in a courtroom |
| bench warrant, arrest warrant | A warrant authorizing law enforcement officials to apprehend an offender and bring that person to court |
| bequest, legacy | (law) a gift of personal property by will |
| bigamy | Having two spouses at the same time |
| bill, measure | A statute in draft before it becomes law |
| bill of Particulars | The particular events to be dealt with in a criminal trial |
| bill of attainder | A legislative act finding a person guilty of treason or felony without a trial |
| bill of sale | A deed transferring personal property |
| bind over | Order a defendant to be placed in custody pending the outcome of a proceedings against him or her |
| blue law | A statute regulating work on Sundays |
| blue sky law | A state law regulating the sale of securities in an attempt to control the sale of securities in fraudulent enterprises / enterprises |
| bottle bill | A statute that would require merchants to reclaim used bottles |
| brief, legal brief | A document stating the facts and points of law of a client's case |
| building code | Set of standards established and enforced by local government for the structural safety of buildings |
| cachet, lettre de cachet | A warrant formerly issued by a French king who could warrant imprisonment or death in a signed letter under his seal |
| capacitate | make legally capable or qualify in law |
| cause of action | A claim sufficient to demand judicial attention |
| caveat | (law) a formal notice filed with a court or officer to suspend a proceeding until filer is given a hearing |
| certiorari, writ of certiorari | A common ... / common law writ issued by a superior court to one of inferior jurisdiction demanding the record of a particular case |
| challenge, take exception | Raise a formal objection in a court of law |
| champerty | An unethical agreement between an attorney and client that the attorney would sue and pay the costs of the client's suit in return for a portion of the damages awarded |
| chance-medley | An unpremeditated killing of a human being in self defense |
| charge | instruct (a jury) about the law, its application, and the weighing of evidence |
| chief justice | The judge who presides over a supreme court |
| circuit | (law) a judicial division of a state or the United States (so-called because originally / originally judges traveled and held court in different locations) |
| circuit court of appeals | One of the twelve federal United States courts of appeals that cover a group of states known as a 'circuit' |
| circumstantial evidence, indirect evidence | evidence providing only a basis for inference about the fact in dispute |
| citation | A summons that commands the appearance of a party at a proceeding |
| citation | (law) the act of citing / citing (as of spoken words or written passages or legal precedents etc.) |
| citizenship | The status of a citizen with rights and duties |
| civil contempt | A failure to follow a court order that benefits someone else |
| civil death | The legal status of a person who is alive but who has been deprived of the rights and privileges of a citizen or a member of society |
| civil law | The body of laws established by a state or nation for its own regulation |
| civil liberty | fundamental individual right protected by law and expressed as immunity from unwarranted governmental interference |
| civil right | Right or rights belonging to a person by reason of citizenship including especially the fundamental freedoms and privileges guaranteed by the 13th and 14th amendments and subsequent acts of Congress including the right to legal and social and economic equality |
| civil suit | A lawsuit alleging violations / violations of civil law by the defendant |
| civil union | A voluntary union for life (or until divorce) of adult parties of the same sex |
| class action, class-action suit | A lawsuit brought by a representative member of a large / large / large group of people on behalf of all members of the group |
| client | A person who seeks the advice of a lawyer |
| codicil | A supplement to a will |
| color of law, colour of law | A mere semblance of legal right |
| combination in restraint of trade | (law) any monopoly / monopoly or contract or combination or conspiracy intended to restrain commerce (which are illegal according to antitrust laws of the United States) |
| common-law marriage | A marriage relationship created by agreement and cohabitation rather than by ceremony |
| common law, case law, precedent | A system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws |
| commutation, re-sentencing | (law) the reduction in severity of a punishment imposed by law |
| commutation | A warrant substituting a lesser punishment for a greater one |
| comparative negligence | (law) negligence allocated between the plaintiff and the defendant with a corresponding reduction in damages paid to the plaintiff |
| competence hearing | A hearing to determine legal capacity (to determine whether the defendant can understand the charges and cooperate with a lawyer in preparing a defense) |
| compromise verdict | A verdict resulting from improper compromises between jurors on material issues |
| concurrent negligence | (law) negligence of two of more persons acting independently |
| concurring opinion | An opinion that agrees with the court's disposition of the case but is written to express a particular judge's reasoning |
| condemnation | (law) the act of condemning (as land forfeited for public use) or judging / judging to be unfit for use (as a food product or an unsafe building) |
| confession of judgment, confession of judgement, cognovit judgment, cognovit judgement | A judgment entered after a written confession by the debtor without the expense of ordinary legal proceedings |
| confidential adviser-advisee relation | The responsibility of a confidential adviser to act in the best interest of the advisee |
| connivance, secret approval, tacit consent | (law) tacit approval of someone's wrongdoing |
| consensual | Existing by consent |
| consent decree | An agreement between two parties that is sanctioned by the court |
| conservator-ward relation | The responsibility of a conservator to act in the best interests of the ward |
| constructive possession | (law) having the power and intention to have and control property but without direct control or actual presence upon it |
| contempt | A willful disobedience to or disrespect for the authority of a court or legislative body |
| contempt of Congress | Deliberate obstruction of the operation of the federal legislative branch |
| contempt of court | disrespect for the rules of a court of law |
| contractor | (law) a party to a contract |
| contributory negligence | (law) behavior by the plaintiff that contributes to the harm resulting from the defendant's negligence |
| contumacy | Willful refusal to appear before a court or comply with a court order |
| convey | transmit a title or property |
| conveyance | document effecting a property transfer |
| conveyancer | A lawyer who specializes in the business of conveying properties |
| convict | Find or declare guilty |
| corpus delicti | The body of evidence that constitute the offence |
| corroborating evidence | Additional evidence or evidence of different kind that supports a proof already offered in a proceeding |
| counterclaim | A claim filed in opposition to another claim in a legal action |
| counterclaim | Set up a claim / claim in opposition to a previous claim / claim |
| counterplea | A plaintiff's reply to a defendant's plea |
| countersuit | A suit brought against someone who has sued you |
| court, courtroom | A room in which a lawcourt sits |
| court order | A writ issued by a court of law requiring a person to do something or to refrain from doing something |
| courthouse | A building that houses judicial courts |
| covert | (of a wife) being under the protection of her husband |
| criminal contempt | An act of disrespect that impedes the administration of justice |
| criminal law | The body of law dealing with crimes and their punishment |
| criminal negligence, culpable negligence | (law) recklessly acting without reasonable / reasonable / reasonable caution and putting another person at risk of injury or death (or failing to do something with the same consequences) |
| criminal possession | (law) possession for which criminal sanctions are provided because the property may not lawfully be possessed or may not be possessed under certain circumstances |
| criminal suit | A lawsuit alleging violations of criminal law by the defendant |
| cross-examination | (law) close questioning of a hostile witness in a court of law to discredit or throw a new light on the testimony already provided in direct examination |
| curfew | An order that after a specific time certain activities (as being outside on the streets) are prohibited |
| custody battle | litigation to settle custody of the children of a divorced couple |
| custody case | A legal action to determine custody (usually of children following a divorce) |
| death warrant | A warrant to execute the death sentence |
| debarment | The act of prevention by legal means |
| debenture | A certificate or voucher acknowledging a debt / debt |
| declaration | (law) unsworn statement / statement that can be admitted in evidence in a legal transaction |
| decree, edict, fiat, order, rescript | A legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge) |
| decree nisi | A decree issued on a first petition for divorce |
| deed, deed of conveyance, title | A legal document signed and sealed / sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it |
| deed poll | A deed made and executed by only one party |
| default judgment, default judgement, judgment by default, judgement by default | A judgment entered in favor of the plaintiff when the defendant defaults (fails to appear in court) |
| defective pleading | Any pleading that fails to conform in form or substance to minimum standards of accuracy or sufficiency |
| defendant, suspect | A person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law |
| defense, defence, denial, demurrer | A defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him |
| defense attorney, defense lawyer | The lawyer representing the defendant |
| delinquency, juvenile delinquency | An antisocial misdeed in violation of the law by a minor |
| demur, demurral, demurrer | (law) a formal objection to an opponent's pleadings |
| demur | Enter a demurrer |
| demurrer | (law) any pleading that attacks the legal sufficiency of the opponent's pleadings |
| deposition | (law) a pretrial interrogation of a witness |
| derivative instrument, derivative | A financial instrument whose value is based on another security |
| derogation | (law) the partial taking ... / taking away of the effectiveness of a law |
| devise | (law) a gift of real property by will |
| dilatory plea | A plea that delays the action without settling the cause of action |
| diplomatic immunity | exemption from taxation or normal processes of law that is offered to diplomatic personnel in a foreign country |
| direct evidence | evidence (usually the testimony of a witness) directly related to the fact in dispute |
| direct examination | (law) the initial questioning of a witness by the party that called the witness |
| directed verdict | A verdict entered by the court in a jury trial without consideration / consideration by the jury |
| director-stockholder relation | The responsibility of corporate directors to act in the best interests of stockholders |
| disbarment | The act of expelling a lawyer from the practice of law |
| disclaimer | (law) a voluntary repudiation of a person's legal claim to something |
| discovery | (law) compulsory pretrial disclosure of documents relevant to a case |
| dissent | (law) the difference of one judge's opinion from that of the majority |
| dissenting opinion | An opinion that disagrees / disagrees with the court's disposition of the case |
| dissolution of marriage | An annulment of a marriage |
| divestiture | An order to an offending party to rid itself of property |
| divorce, divorcement | The legal dissolution of a marriage |
| divorce lawyer | A lawyer specializing in actions for divorce or annulment |
| dock | An enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial |
| docket | (law) the calendar of a court |
| docket | make a summary or abstract of a legal document and inscribe it in a list |
| docket | place on the docket for legal action |
| domicile, legal residence | (law) the residence where you have your permanent home or principal establishment and to where, whenever you are absent, you intend to return |
| double jeopardy | The prosecution of a defendant for a criminal offense for which he has already been tried |
| drug war | conflict between law enforcement and those who deal in illegal drugs |
| due process, due process of law | (law) the administration of justice according to established rules and principles |
| easement | (law) the privilege of using something that is not your own (as using another's land as a right of way to your own land) |
| effect, force | (of a law) having legal validity |
| eminent domain | The right of the state / state to take private property for public use |
| enabling act, enabling clause | A provision in a law that confers on appropriate officials the power to implement or enforce the law |
| enabling legislation | legislation that gives appropriate officials the authority to implement or enforce the law |
| enactment, passage | The passing of a law by a legislative body |
| enfeoffment | Under the feudal system, the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service |
| entitlement | Right granted by law or contract (especially a right to benefits) |
| entrapment | A defense that claims the defendant would not have broken the law if not tricked into doing it by law enforcement officials |
| equal opportunity | The right to equivalent opportunities for employment regardless of race or color or sex or national origin |
| equal protection of the laws | A right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and by the due-process clause of the Fifth Amendment |
| escheat | A reversion to the state / state (as the ultimate owner of property) in the absence of legal heirs |
| evasive answer | (law) an answer by a defendant that fails to admit or deny the allegations set forth in the complaint / complaint |
| eviction, dispossession, legal ouster | The expulsion of someone (such as a tenant / tenant) from the possession of land by process of law |
| eviction, constructive eviction | action by a landlord that compels a tenant / tenant to leave the premises (as by rendering the premises unfit for occupancy) |
| evidence | (law) all the means by which any alleged matter of fact whose truth is investigated at judicial trial is established or disproved |
| evidentiary | pertaining to or constituting evidence |
| execution, writ of execution | A routine court order that attempts to enforce the judgment that has been granted to a plaintiff by authorizing a sheriff to carry it out |
| execution, execution of instrument | (law) the completion of a legal instrument (such as a contract or deed) by signing it (and perhaps sealing and delivering it) so that it becomes legally binding and enforceable |
| executor-heir relation | The responsibility of an executor (or administrator) of an estate to act in the best interests of the heir |
| extenuate, palliate, mitigate | lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of |
| fair hearing | A hearing that is granted in extraordinary situations where the normal judicial process would be inadequate to secure due process because the person would be harmed or denied their rights before a judicial remedy became available (as in deportation or loss of welfare benefits) |
| false imprisonment | (law) confinement without legal authority |
| false pretense, false pretence | (law) an offense involving intent to defraud and false / false / false representation and obtaining property as a result of that misrepresentation |
| false verdict | A manifestly unjust / unjust / unjust verdict |
| farm bill | A statute that would regulate farm production and prices |
| fiduciary relation | The legal relation that exists when one person justifiably places reliance on another whose aid or protection is sought in some matter |
| fieri facias | A writ ordering a levy on the belongings of a debtor to satisfy the debt |
| file, register | record in a public office or in a court of law |
| filer | A party who files a notice with a law court |
| filiate | Fix the paternity of |
| filibuster | (law) a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation / legislation by making long speeches |
| final judgment, final decision | A judgment disposing of the case before the court |
| finding | The decision of a court on issues of fact or law |
| finding of law, conclusion of law | A finding as to the applicability of a rule of law to particular facts |
| fire code | Set of standards established and enforced by government for fire prevention and safety in case of fire as in fire escapes etc |
| franchise, enfranchisement | A statutory right or privilege granted to a person or group by a government (especially the rights of citizenship and the right to vote) |
| freedom from cruel and unusual punishment | A right guaranteed by the 8th amendment to the US Constitution |
| freedom from discrimination | Immunity from discrimination on the basis of race or sex / sex or nationality / nationality or religion or age |
| freedom from double jeopardy | A civil right guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution |
| freedom from involuntary servitude | A civil right guaranteed by the 13th amendment to the US Constitution |
| freedom from search and seizure | A right guaranteed by the 4th amendment to the US Constitution |
| freedom from self-incrimination, privilege against self incrimination | The civil right (guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution) to refuse to answer questions or otherwise give testimony against yourself |
| freedom of assembly | The right to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances |
| freedom of religion | A civil right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution |
| freedom of speech | A civil right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution |
| freedom of the press | A right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution |
| freedom to bear arms | A right guaranteed by the 2nd amendment to the US Constitution |
| fundamental law, organic law, constitution | law determining the fundamental political principles of a government |
| fungible | Of goods or commodities |
| gag law | Any law that limits freedom of the press |
| gag order | A court order restricting information or comment by the participants involved in a lawsuit |
| game law | A regulation intended to manage or preserve game animals |
| garnishment | A court order to an employer to withhold all or part of an employee's wages and to send the money to the court or to the person who won a lawsuit against the employee |
| general verdict | An ordinary verdict declaring which party prevails without any special findings of fact |
| geographical indication, GI | (law) a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin |
| get off | Cause to be acquitted |
| give | accord by verdict |
| grand jury | A jury to inquire into accusations of crime and to evaluate the grounds for indictments |
| grant, assignment | (law) a transfer of property by deed of conveyance |
| habeas corpus | The civil right to obtain a writ of habeas corpus as protection against illegal imprisonment |
| habeas corpus, writ of habeas corpus | A writ ordering a prisoner to be brought before a judge |
| hearing | (law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence |
| hearsay evidence | evidence based on what someone has told the witness and not of direct knowledge |
| heirloom | (law) any property that is considered by law or custom as inseparable from an inheritance is inherited with that inheritance |
| homestead law | A law conferring privileges on owners of homesteads |
| human right | (law) any basic right or freedom to which all human beings are entitled and in whose exercise a government may not interfere (including rights ... / rights to life and liberty as well as freedom of thought and expression and equality before the law) |
| hung jury | A jury that is unable to agree on a verdict (the result is a mistrial) |
| impoundment, impounding, internment, poundage | placing private property in the custody of an officer of the law |
| imprison, incarcerate, lag, immure, put behind bars, jail, jug, gaol, put away, remand | lock up or confine, in or as in a jail |
| imprisonment | putting someone in prison or in jail as lawful / lawful / lawful punishment |
| incompetent, unqualified | Legally not qualified or sufficient |
| infection | (international law) illegality that taints or contaminates a ship or cargo rendering it liable to seizure |
| inheritance, heritage | That which is inherited |
| injunction, enjoining, enjoinment, cease and desist order | (law) a judicial remedy issued in order to prohibit a party from doing or continuing to do a certain activity |
| interdict, interdiction | A court order prohibiting a party from doing a certain activity |
| interest, stake | (law) a right or legal share of something |
| international law, law of nations | The body of laws governing relations / relations between nations |
| intervenor | (law) a party who interposes in a pending proceeding |
| intervention | (law) a proceeding that permits a person to enter into a lawsuit already in progress |
| intestate | Having made no legally valid will before death or not disposed of by a legal will |
| intra vires | Within the legal power or authority or a person or official or body etc |
| jactitation | (law) a false / false / false boast that can harm others |
| joint resolution | A resolution passed by both houses of Congress which becomes legally binding when signed by the Chief Executive (or passed over the Chief Executive's veto) |
| jointure, legal jointure | (law) an estate secured to a prospective wife as a marriage settlement in lieu of a dower |
| judge advocate general | The senior legal advisor to a branch of the military |
| judgment, judgement, judicial decision | (law) the determination by a court of competent jurisdiction on matters submitted to it |
| judgment in personam, judgement in personam, personal judgment, personal judgement | A judgment rendered against an individual (or corporation) for the payment of money damages |
| judgment in rem, judgement in rem | A judgment pronounced on the status of some particular subject / subject or property or thing (as opposed to one pronounced on persons) |
| judgment of dismissal, judgement of dismissal, dismissal | A judgment disposing of the matter without a trial |
| judgment on the merits, judgement on the merits | Judgment rendered through analysis and adjudication of the factual issues presented |
| judicial branch | The branch of the United States government responsible / responsible for the administration of justice |
| judicial review | review by a court of law of actions of a government official or entity or of some other legally appointed person or body or the review by an appellate court of the decision of a trial court |
| jurist, legal expert | A legal scholar versed in civil law or the law of nations |
| jury system | A legal system for determining the facts at issue in a law suit |
| jus sanguinis | The principle that a person's nationality at birth is the same as that of his natural parents |
| jus soli | The principle that a person's nationality at birth is determined by the place of birth |
| justice of the peace | A local magistrate with limited powers |
| kidnapping, snatch | (law) the unlawful / unlawful / unlawful act of capturing and carrying away a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment |
| law, practice of law | The learned profession that is mastered by graduate study in a law school and that is responsible for the judicial system |
| law | legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity |
| law enforcement | Ensuring obedience to the laws |
| law firm | A firm of lawyers |
| law of the land | A phrase used in the Magna Carta to refer to the then established law of the kingdom (as distinct from Roman or civil law) |
| law practice | The practice of law |
| lawgiver, lawmaker | A maker of laws |
| lawsuit, suit, case, cause, causa | A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy |
| lawyer, attorney | A professional person authorized to practice law |
| lawyer-client relation, attorney-client relation | The responsibility of a lawyer to act in the best interests of the client |
| legal action, action, action at law | A judicial proceeding brought by one party against another |
| legal code | A code of laws adopted by a state / state or nation |
| legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument | (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right |
| legal duty | Acts which the law requires be done or forborne |
| legal fee | A fee paid for legal service |
| legal power, jurisdiction | (law) the right and power to interpret and apply the law |
| legal principle, judicial principle, judicial doctrine | (law) a principle underlying the formulation of jurisprudence |
| legal profession, bar, legal community | The body of individuals qualified to practice law in a particular jurisdiction |
| legal relation | A professional relation that is regulated by law (as between a lawyer and a client) |
| legal representation | personal representation that has legal status |
| legal representative | A personal representative with legal standing (as by power of attorney or the executor of a will) |
| legal separation, separation | (law) the cessation of cohabitation of man and wife (either by mutual agreement / agreement or under a court order) |
| legal separation, judicial separation | A judicial decree regulating the rights and responsibilities of a married couple living apart |
| legal status | A status defined by law |
| legal system | A system for interpreting and enforcing the laws |
| legalization, legalisation, legitimation | The act of making lawful / lawful |
| legislation, legislating, lawmaking | The act of making or enacting laws |
| legislation, statute law | law enacted by a legislative body |
| legislative act, statute | An act passed by a legislative body |
| legislator | someone who makes or enacts laws |
| legitimation | The act of rendering a person legitimate |
| letters of administration | legal document naming someone to administer an estate when no executor has been named |
| letters testamentary | A legal document from a probate ... / probate court or court officer informing you of your appointment as executor of a will and empowering you to discharge those responsibilities |
| libel | A false / false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person |
| libel | The written statement of a plaintiff explaining the cause of action (the defamation) and any relief he seeks |
| license, licence, permit | A legal document giving official permission to do something |
| life estate, estate for life | (law) an estate whose duration is limited to the life of the person holding it |
| limitation | (law) a time period after which suits cannot be brought |
| liquidator, receiver | (law) a person (usually appointed by a court of law) who liquidates assets or preserves them for the benefit of affected parties |
| lis pendens | A pending lawsuit |
| litigant, litigator | (law) a party to a lawsuit |
| litigation, judicial proceeding | A legal proceeding in a court |
| living will | A document written by someone still legally capable requesting that he should be allowed to die if subsequently severely disabled or suffering terminal illness |
| maintenance, criminal maintenance | The unauthorized interference in a legal action by a person having no interest in it (as by helping one party with money or otherwise to continue the action) so as to obstruct justice or promote unnecessary litigation or unsettle the peace of the community |
| major | Of full legal age |
| majority opinion | The opinion joined by a majority of the court (generally known simply as 'the opinion') |
| mandamus, writ of mandamus | An extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion |
| mandate, authorization, authorisation | A document giving an official instruction or command |
| mandatory injunction | injunction requiring the performance of some specific act |
| manifest | A customs document listing the contents put on a ship or plane |
| marital status | The condition of being married or unmarried |
| maritime law, marine law, admiralty law | The branch of international law that deals with territorial and international waters or with shipping or with ocean fishery etc. |
| marriage, matrimony, union, spousal relationship, wedlock | The state of being a married couple voluntarily joined / joined for life (or until divorce) |
| martial law | The body of law imposed by the military over civilian affairs (usually in time of war or civil crisis) |
| mens rea, malice aforethought | (law) criminal intent |
| mercantile law, commercial law, law merchant | The body of rules applied to commercial transactions |
| messuage | (law) a dwelling house and its adjacent buildings and the adjacent land used by the household |
| military court | A judicial court of commissioned officers for the discipline and punishment of military personnel |
| military law | The body of laws and rules of conduct administered by military courts for the discipline, trial, and punishment of military personnel |
| minor, nonaged, underage | not of legal age |
| mistrial | A trial that is invalid or inconclusive |
| mitigating circumstance | (law) a circumstance that does not exonerate a person but which reduces the penalty associated with the offense |
| monition, process of monition | A summons issued after the filing of a libel or claim directing all parties concerned to show cause why the judgment asked for should not be granted |
| moot | Of no legal significance (as having been previously decided) |
| moot | A hypothetical case that law students argue as an exercise |
| moot court | A mock court where law students argue hypothetical cases |
| mortgage deed | deed embodying a mortgage |
| muniments | deeds and other documentary evidence of title to land |
| murder conviction | conviction for murder |
| naturalization, naturalisation | The proceeding whereby a foreigner is granted citizenship |
| neglect of duty | (law) breach of a duty |
| negotiable instrument | An unconditional order or promise to pay an amount of money |
| next friend | (law) a person who acts on behalf of an infant or disabled person |
| night court | A criminal court (in large cities) that sits at night |
| nominal damages | (law) a trivial sum (usually $1.00) awarded as recognition that a legal injury was sustained (as for technical violations of a contract) |
| non prosequitur, non pros | A judgment entered in favor of the defendant when the plaintiff has not continued his action (e.g., has not appeared in court) |
| notary, notary public | someone legally empowered to witness signatures and certify a document's validity and to take depositions |
| novation | (law) the replacement of one obligation by another by mutual agreement of both parties |
| nuisance | (law) a broad legal concept including anything that disturbs the reasonable use of your property or endangers / endangers life and health or is offensive |
| null, void | lacking any legal or binding force |
| obiter dictum, dictum | An opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore / therefore not binding |
| objection | (law) a procedure whereby a party to a suit says that a particular line of questioning or a particular witness or a piece of evidence or other matter is improper and should not be continued and asks the court to rule on its impropriety or illegality |
| obstruction of justice | impeding those who seek justice in a court (as by trying to influence or intimidate any juror or witness or officer of the court) |
| occupational safety and health act, federal job safety law | A law passed by the United States Congress that created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to prevent employees from being injured or contracting diseases in the course of their employment |
| opinion, ruling | The reason for a court's judgment (as opposed to the decision itself) |
| opinion, legal opinion, judgment, judgement | The legal document stating the reasons for a judicial decision |
| ordinance | A statute enacted by a city government |
| ordinary | A judge of a probate court |
| ouster | A wrongful / wrongful dispossession |
| owner, proprietor | (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business |
| panel, venire | (law) a group of people summoned for jury service (from whom a jury will be chosen) |
| paralegal, legal assistant | A person with specialized training who assists lawyers |
| pardon, amnesty | A warrant granting release from punishment for an offense |
| pardon | grant a pardon / pardon to |
| parole | (law) a conditional release from imprisonment that entitles the person to serve the remainder of the sentence outside the prison as long as the terms of release are complied with |
| partner relation | The responsibility of partners to act in one another's best interests |
| party | A person involved in legal proceedings |
| passport | A document issued by a country to a citizen allowing that person to travel abroad and re-enter the home country |
| patent, letters patent | An official document granting a right or privilege |
| patent right | The right granted by a patent / patent |
| patent system | A legal system for protecting the rights of inventors |
| paternity suit, bastardy proceeding | A lawsuit filed to determine the father of a child born out of wedlock (and to provide for the support / support of the child once paternity is determined) |
| penal code | The legal code governing crimes and their punishment |
| permanent injunction, final injunction | injunction issued on completion of a trial |
| petit jury, petty jury | A jury of 12 to determine the facts and decide the issue in civil or criminal proceedings |
| plaintiff, complainant | A person who brings an action in a court of law |
| plea | An answer indicating why a suit should be dismissed |
| plea | (law) a defendant's answer by a factual matter (as distinguished from a demurrer) |
| plea-bargain | agree to plead guilty in return for a lesser charge |
| plea bargain, plea bargaining | (criminal law) a negotiation in which the defendant agrees to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser charge and the prosecutor agrees to drop a more serious charge |
| plead | Enter a plea, as in courts of law |
| plead | make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding, especially answer the previous pleading of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts |
| pleading | (law) a statement in legal and logical form stating something on behalf of a party to a legal proceeding |
| police court | A court that has power to prosecute for minor offenses and to bind over for trial in a superior court anyone accused / accused of serious offenses |
| poor law | A law providing support for the poor |
| power of attorney | A legal instrument authorizing someone to act as the grantor's agent |
| preemption, pre-emption | The judicial principle asserting the supremacy of federal over state legislation on the same subject / subject |
| prefer | Give preference to one creditor over another |
| premeditation | (law) thought and intention to commit a crime well in advance of the crime |
| presentment, notification | An accusation of crime made by a grand jury on its own initiative |
| presumption | (law) an inference of the truth of a fact from other facts proved or admitted or judicially / judicially noticed |
| pretrial, pretrial conference | (law) a conference held before the trial begins to bring the parties together to outline discovery proceedings and to define the issues to be tried |
| prevailing party | The party in a lawsuit who obtains a judgment in their own favor |
| privilege | (law) the right to refuse / refuse to divulge information obtained in a confidential relationship |
| probable cause | (law) evidence sufficient to warrant an arrest or search / search and seizure |
| probate, probate will | A judicial certificate saying that a will is genuine and conferring on the executors the power to administer the estate |
| probate | Establish the legal validity of (wills and other documents) |
| probate court | A court having jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the administration of estates |
| probation | (law) a way of dealing with offenders without imprisoning them |
| proceeding, legal proceeding, proceedings | (law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked |
| production | (law) the act of exhibiting in a court of law |
| prohibition | A law forbidding the sale of alcoholic beverages |
| promulgator | (law) one who promulgates laws (announces a law as a way of putting it into execution) |
| prosecution, criminal prosecution | The institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior |
| prosecutor, public prosecutor, prosecuting officer, prosecuting attorney | A government official who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state |
| prove | Obtain probate of |
| provost court | A military court for trying people charged with minor offenses in an occupied area |
| public defender | A lawyer who represents indigent defendants at public expense |
| public law | A law affecting the public at large |
| punitive damages, exemplary damages, smart money | (law) compensation in excess of actual damages (a form of punishment awarded in cases of malicious or willful misconduct) |
| quarter sessions | A local court with criminal jurisdiction and sometimes administrative functions |
| question of law, matter of law | A disputed legal contention that is generally left for a judge to decide |
| quitclaim, quitclaim deed | document transferring title or right or claim to another |
| quo warranto | A hearing to determine by what authority someone has an office or franchise or liberty |
| quotient verdict | An improper and unacceptable kind of compromise verdict |
| rape conviction | conviction for rape |
| rationale, principle | (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature) |
| re-examine | Question after cross-examination by opposing counsel |
| rebutter, rebuttal | (law) a pleading by the defendant in reply to a plaintiff's surrejoinder |
| receiver-creditor relation | The responsibility of receiver or trustee in bankruptcy to act in the best interests of the creditor |
| receivership | A court action that places property under the control of a receiver during litigation so that it can be preserved for the benefit of all |
| recission, rescission | (law) the act of rescinding |
| recognizance, recognisance | (law) a security entered into before a court with a condition to perform some act required by law |
| reconvict | convict anew |
| record | A document that can serve as legal evidence of a transaction |
| recusation, recusal | (law) the disqualification of a judge or jury by reason of prejudice or conflict of interest |
| recusation | (law) an objection grounded on the judge's relationship to one of the parties |
| recuse | challenge or except to a judge as being incompetent or interested, in canon and civil law |
| recuse | disqualify oneself (as a judge) in a particular case |
| redirect examination, reexamination | (law) questioning of a witness by the party that called the witness after that witness has been subject to cross-examination |
| referee | An attorney appointed by a court to investigate and report on a case |
| rejoinder | (law) a pleading made by a defendant in response to the plaintiff's replication |
| relation back, relation | (law) the principle that an act done at a later time is deemed by law to have occurred at an earlier time |
| relief | (law) redress awarded by a court |
| remission, remitment, remit | (law) the act of remitting (especially the referral of a law case to another court) |
| render, submit | make over as a return |
| replication | (law) a pleading made by a plaintiff in reply to the defendant's plea or answer |
| reprieve, respite | The act of reprieving |
| reprieve | A warrant granting postponement (usually to postpone the execution of the death sentence) |
| republish | revive (a cancelled will or a libel) |
| res gestae | rule of evidence that covers words that are so closely associated with an occurrence that the words are considered part of the occurrence and as such their report does not violate the hearsay rule |
| residuary | entitled to the residue of an estate (after payment of debts and specific gifts) |
| resisting arrest | Physical efforts to oppose a lawful arrest |
| retaliatory eviction | An eviction in reprisal for the tenant's / tenant's good-faith complaints against the landlord |
| retrial | A new trial in which issues already litigated and to which the court has already rendered a verdict or decision are reexamined by the same court |
| reversal | A judgment by a higher court that the judgment of a lower court was incorrect and should be set aside |
| reversion | (law) an interest in an estate that reverts to the grantor (or his heirs) at the end of some period (e.g., the death of the grantee) |
| reversionary | Of or relating to or involving a reversion (especially a legal reversion) |
| reversioner | (law) a party who is entitled to an estate in reversion |
| revertible | To be returned to the former owner or that owner's heirs |
| review | (law) a judicial reexamination of the proceedings of a court (especially by an appellate court) |
| right of election | In probate law |
| right of entry | The legal right to take possession of real estate in a peaceable manner |
| right of offset | (banking) the legal right of a bank to seize deposited funds to cover a loan that is in default |
| right of privacy | A legal right (not explicitly provided in the United States Constitution) to be left alone |
| right of re-entry | The legal right to resume possession (a right that was reserved when a former possession was parted with) |
| right to an attorney | A civil right guaranteed by the 6th amendment to the US Constitution |
| right to confront accusors | A right guaranteed by the 6th amendment to the US Constitution |
| right to due process | A right guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution |
| right to speedy and public trial by jury | A civil right guaranteed by the 6th amendment to the US Constitution |
| right to vote, vote, suffrage | A legal right guaranteed by the 15th amendment to the US Constitution |
| robbery conviction | conviction for robbery |
| rule of evidence | (law) a rule of law whereby any alleged matter of fact that is submitted for investigation at a judicial trial is established or disproved |
| rule of law | A state of order in which events conform to the law |
| sanitary code, health code | Set of standards established and enforced by government for health requirements as in plumbing etc |
| satisfaction | (law) the payment of a debt or fulfillment of an obligation |
| scienter | (law) deliberately or knowingly |
| scire facias | A judicial writ based on some record and requiring the party against whom it is brought to show cause why the record should not be enforced or annulled / annulled |
| search warrant | A warrant authorizing law enforcement officials to search for objects or people involved in the commission of a crime and to produce them in court |
| securities law | The body of laws governing the issuance and selling of securities |
| sedition | An illegal action inciting resistance / resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government |
| sentence, condemn, doom | pronounce a sentence on (somebody) in a court of law |
| sequestration | A writ that authorizes the seizure of property |
| settlor, trustor | (law) a person who creates a trust by giving real or personal property in trust to a trustee for the benefit of a beneficiary |
| sexual assault, sexual abuse, sex crime, sex offense | A statutory offense that provides that it is a crime to knowingly cause another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or threat |
| ship's papers | official papers which a ship is legally required to have |
| sidebar | (law) a courtroom conference between the lawyers and the judge that is held out of the jury's hearing |
| solicitor | A British lawyer who gives legal advice and prepares legal documents |
| special act | A legislative act that applies only to a particular person or particular district |
| special jury, blue ribbon jury | A jury whose members are selected for special knowledge for a case involving complicated issues |
| special pleading | (law) a pleading that alleges new facts in avoidance of the opposing allegations |
| special verdict | A verdict rendered on certain specific factual issues posed by the court without finding for one party or the other |
| specification | (patent law) a document drawn up by the applicant for a patent of invention that provides an explicit and detailed description of the nature and use of an invention |
| spoliation | (law) the intentional destruction of a document or an alteration of it that destroys its value as evidence |
| state's evidence | evidence for the prosecution in criminal proceedings |
| statute book | A record of the whole body of legislation in a given jurisdiction |
| statute of limitations | A statute prescribing the time period during which legal action can be taken |
| statutory law | The body of laws created by legislative statutes |
| stay | A judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted |
| stay of execution | An order whereby a judgment is precluded from being executed for a specific period of time |
| stipulation, judicial admission | (law) an agreement or concession made by parties in a judicial proceeding (or by their attorneys) relating to the business before the court |
| stultify | prove to be of unsound mind or demonstrate someone's incompetence |
| submission | (law) a contention presented by a lawyer to a judge or jury as part of the case he is arguing |
| subornation | perjured testimony that someone was persuaded to give |
| subornation of perjury | (law) inducing someone to make a false oath as part of a judicial proceeding |
| subpoena, subpoena ad testificandum | A writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding |
| subpoena duces tecum | A writ issued by a court at the request of one of the parties to a suit |
| subrogation | (law) the act of substituting of one creditor for another |
| substantive, essential | Defining rights and duties as opposed to giving the rules by which rights and duties are established |
| summary judgment, summary judgement, judgment on the pleadings, judgement on the pleadings | A judgment rendered by the court prior to a verdict because no material issue of fact exists and one party or the other is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law |
| summation, summing up, rundown | A concluding summary (as in presenting a case before a law court) |
| summons, process | A writ issued by authority of law |
| superior court | Any court that has jurisdiction above an inferior court |
| supreme court, state supreme court, high court | The highest court in most states of the United States |
| surrebutter, surrebuttal | (law) a pleading by the plaintiff in reply to the defendant's rebutter |
| surrejoinder | (law) a pleading by the plaintiff in reply to the defendant's rejoinder |
| tax law | The body of laws governing taxation |
| tax system | A legal system for assessing and collecting taxes |
| temporary injunction, interlocutory injunction | injunction issued during a trial to maintain the status quo or preserve the subject matter of the litigation until the trial is over |
| test case, test suit | A representative legal action whose outcome is likely to become a precedent |
| testate | Having made a legally valid will before death |
| testify, attest, take the stand, bear witness | Give testimony in a court of law |
| testify, bear witness, prove, evidence, show | Provide evidence for |
| testimony | A solemn statement / statement made under oath |
| therefor | (in formal usage, especially legal usage) for that or for it |
| ticket | A summons issued to an offender (especially to someone who violates a traffic regulation) |
| title deed | A legal document proving a person's right to property |
| tort, civil wrong | (law) any wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be brought |
| trade bill | A statute that would regulate foreign trade |
| traffic court | A court that has power to prosecute for traffic offenses |
| transcript, copy | A reproduction of a written record (e.g. of a legal or school record) |
| transferee | (law) someone to whom a title or property is conveyed |
| transferor | (law) someone who conveys a title or property to another |
| trial | (law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by due process of law |
| trial attorney, trial lawyer | A lawyer who specializes in defending clients before a court of law |
| trial court | The first court before which the facts of a case are decided |
| trial judge | A judge in a trial court |
| trier | One (as a judge) who examines and settles a case |
| trust busting | (law) government activities seeking to dissolve corporate trusts and monopolies (especially under the United States antitrust laws) |
| trust deed, deed of trust | A written instrument legally conveying property to a trustee often used to secure an obligation such as a mortgage or promissory note |
| trustee, legal guardian | A person (or institution) to whom legal title to property is entrusted to use for another's benefit |
| trustee-beneficiary relation | The responsibility of a trustee to act in the best interests of the beneficiary |
| ultra vires | Beyond the legal power or authority of a person or official or body etc |
| unalterable | Of a sentence |
| undue | not appropriate or proper (or even legal) in the circumstances |
| use, enjoyment | (law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy / enjoy the benefits of owning property |
| usufruct | A legal right to use and derive profit from property belonging to someone else provided that the property itself is not injured in any way |
| uxor, ux. | (legal terminology) the Latin word for wife |
| venire facias | A judicial writ ordering a sheriff to summon people for jury duty |
| venter | The womb |
| verdict, finding of fact | (law) the findings of a jury on issues of fact submitted to it for decision |
| verification | (law) an affidavit attached to a statement / statement confirming the truth of that statement / statement |
| verify | attach or append a legal verification to (a pleading or petition) |
| vested interest | (law) an interest in which there is a fixed right to present or future enjoyment and that can be conveyed to another |
| vexatious litigation | litigation shown to have been instituted maliciously and without probable cause |
| visitation right | The right granted by a court to a parent (or other relative) who is deprived of custody of a child to visit the child on a regular basis |
| voting system, electoral system | A legal system for making democratic choices |
| vouchee | (law) a person called into court to defend a title |
| warrant | A writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts |
| waste, permissive waste | (law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect |
| will, testament | A legal document declaring a person's wishes regarding the disposal of their property when they die |
| witness, attestant, attestor, attestator | (law) a person who attests to the genuineness of a document or signature by adding their own signature |
| witness | (law) a person who testifies under oath in a court of law |
| writ, judicial writ | (law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer |
| writ of detinue | A writ ordering the release of goods that have been unlawfully detained |
| writ of election | A writ ordering the holding of an election |
| writ of error | A judicial writ from an appellate court ordering the court of record to produce the records of trial |
| writ of prohibition | A judicial writ from a higher court ordering a lower court not to exercise jurisdiction in a particular case |
| writ of right | A writ ordering that land be restored to its rightful owner |
| written agreement | A legal document summarizing the agreement between parties |
| Parts | law | legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity |
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| Narrower | Mosaic law, Law of Moses | The laws (beginning with the Ten Commandments) that God gave to the Israelites / Israelites through Moses |
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| administrative law | The body of rules and regulations and orders and decisions created by administrative agencies of government |
| canon law, ecclesiastical law | The body of codified laws governing the affairs of a Christian church |
| civil law | The body of laws established by a state or nation for its own regulation |
| common law, case law, precedent | A system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws |
| international law, law of nations | The body of laws governing relations / relations between nations |
| law of the land | A phrase used in the Magna Carta to refer to the then established law of the kingdom (as distinct from Roman or civil law) |
| martial law | The body of law imposed by the military over civilian affairs (usually in time of war or civil crisis) |
| mercantile law, commercial law, law merchant | The body of rules applied to commercial transactions |
| military law | The body of laws and rules of conduct administered by military courts for the discipline, trial, and punishment of military personnel |
| securities law | The body of laws governing the issuance and selling of securities |
| shariah, shariah law, sharia, sharia law, Islamic law | The code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammed |
| statutory law | The body of laws created by legislative statutes |
| tax law | The body of laws governing taxation |
| Broader | collection, aggregation, accumulation, assemblage | Several things grouped together or considered as a whole |
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| Spanish | jurisprudencia, ley |
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| Catalan | jurisprudència, llei |
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| Adjectives | legal | of or relating to jurisprudence |
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| medicolegal | pertaining to legal aspects of the practice of medicine (as malpractice or patient consent for operations or patient information) |
