Legal Terms Vocabulary

to make a formal judgment or decision about

“The court will adjudicate the dispute.”

Origin: Latin adjudicare `to award judicially` from ad- `to` + judicare `to judge`

to reach an authoritative judgment or settlement

“An independent panel will arbitrate the conflict.”

Origin: Latin arbitrari `to give judgment` from arbiter `judge, supreme ruler`

to take a claim or dispute to a court of law

“They decided to litigate rather than settle.”

Origin: Latin litigare `to dispute at law` from lis, litem `lawsuit` + agere `to drive, conduct`

to institute legal proceedings against

“The state will prosecute the offenders.”

Origin: Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi `to pursue` from pro- `forward` + sequi `to follow`

to absolve someone from blame or a criminal charge

“DNA evidence exonerated the wrongly convicted man.”

Origin: Latin exonerare `to free from a burden` from ex- `from` + onus, oneris `burden`

to formally accuse of or charge with a crime

“The grand jury voted to indict the suspect.”

Origin: Anglo-Norman enditer, from Latin indictare `to proclaim` from in- `toward` + dictare `to declare`

to free someone from a criminal charge

“The jury acquitted her of all charges.”

Origin: Latin acquitare `to pay a debt, settle` from ad- `to` + quitare `to set free`

to declare guilty of a criminal offense

“He was convicted of fraud and sentenced to prison.”

Origin: Latin convictus, past participle of convincere `to prove wrong, convict` from com- `with` + vincere `to conquer`

deserving blame; guilty

“Both parties were found culpable in the accident.”

Origin: Latin culpabilis `deserving blame` from culpare `to blame` from culpa `fault`

responsible by law; legally answerable

“The company is liable for damages.”

Origin: Anglo-Norman liable, from Old French lier `to bind` from Latin ligare `to bind`

failing to take proper care in doing something

“The doctor was found negligent in his duties.”

Origin: Latin negligentem, present participle of neglegere `to disregard` from nec `not` + legere `to pick up, gather`

a written law passed by a legislative body

“The statute clearly prohibits such conduct.”

Origin: Latin statutum `thing set up` from statuere `to set up, establish` from status `standing`

an earlier event or action regarded as a guide

“The ruling set an important legal precedent.”

Origin: Latin praecedere `to go before` from prae- `before` + cedere `to go`

the theory or philosophy of law

“His work shaped constitutional jurisprudence.”

Origin: Latin jurisprudentia `knowledge of law` from juris `of law` + prudentia `knowledge, foresight`

a person who brings a case against another in court

“The plaintiff sought damages for breach of contract.”

Origin: Old French plaintif `complaining` from plainte `complaint` from Latin planctus `lamentation`

a person accused or sued in a court of law

“The defendant pleaded not guilty.”

Origin: Old French defendant, present participle of defendre `to defend` from Latin defendere `to ward off`

a formal written or spoken statement

“Her testimony proved crucial to the case.”

Origin: Latin testimonium `evidence, witness` from testis `witness`

a formal statement taken outside of court

“He gave a deposition lasting several hours.”

Origin: Latin depositionem `a putting down` from deponere `to put down` from de- `down` + ponere `to place`

a written statement confirmed by oath

“She submitted an affidavit supporting her claim.”

Origin: Medieval Latin affidavit `he has stated on oath` from affidare `to trust` from ad- `to` + fides `faith`

an authoritative order issued by a court

“The court issued an injunction halting construction.”

Origin: Latin injunctionem `a command` from injungere `to impose, inflict` from in- `upon` + jungere `to join`

a writ ordering a person to attend a court

“He was issued a subpoena to testify.”

Origin: Latin sub poena `under penalty` from sub `under` + poena `penalty`

unreasonably prone to go to law to settle disputes

“The company's litigious nature discouraged competitors.”

Origin: Latin litigiosus `quarrelsome` from litigium `dispute, lawsuit` from lis, litem `lawsuit`