Legal English

• Customs


  Way of behaving or beliefs that have been forming for a long time on their own
• Rules


  An accepted principle or institution that states the way things are or should be done, and tells you what you are allowed or not allowed to do
• Law


  Rules, usually made by a government, used to regulate behaviour of certain subjects
• law


  právo
• a law


  zákon
• Civil law countries


  Countries of continental Europe
• Common law countries


  Anglo-Saxon countries - countries using the precedent system - unwritten law
• Civil action


  The parties are at equal position, it usually ends in financial compensation = damages
• Criminal action


  The parties aren't at equal position, it usually ends in imprisonment or a fine
• Descriptive law


  Describes how people usually behave
• Prescriptive law


  Prescribes how people should behave
• Types of rules


  • Customs
  • Rules of social institutions
  • Government-made laws = statutes
• Customs


  Unlike habits, customs can be only positive, the penalty for violation is criticism etc.
• Rules of social institutions


  The penalty can be expulsion, warning or a fine
• Government-made laws = statutes


  The penalty may be imprisonment or a fine
• Legal professions in Britain

  • Barristers (they defend the defendant)
  • Solicitors (they prepare documents for barristers)
• Legal professions in US

  • Attorney
  • Prosecuting attorney
  • Defense attorney
• Academic jurist


  University law professor
• Accept punishment


  Accept penalty
• Accuracy of expression


  Precision of expression
• Action


  Lawsuit, litigation
• Act no. 1/2000 Coll. as amended

  zákon č. 1/2000 Sb. ve znění pozdějších předpisů
• Accustom


  Get used to
• Attacker and victim


  Suspect and victim
• Advocate


  Lawyer, attorney
• Acquit


  Judge acquits the defendant - judge finds the defendant not guilty
• Assets and liabilities


  Aktiva a pasiva (Business law)
• Break a rule


  Violate a rule
• Breach an agreement


  Breach a contract - violate a contract
• Conscience


  Moral sense
• Convicted of a crime

  Found guilty of a crime, sentenced to (fine/imprisonment)
• Claim


  Demand, lawsuit
• Claimant


  Plaintiff (USA)
• Clamp down on


  Take action against
• Challenge decision


  Question decision
• Collateral fraud


  Indirect fraud
• Commit a crime


  Perpetrate a crime
• Common sense


  Sound judgement
• Company lawyer


  In-house lawyer
• Concept of justice


  Conception of justice