Before you begin: Essential

Unitwords
0000
The words in this exercise are used a lot in the legal profession, and appear at various stages
throughout this book, so it is important you understand what they mean before you do any
of the other exercises. Match the definitions on the left with the words on the right. Note
that (a) there are more words than definitions, and (b) many of the words on the right can
have more than one meaning, but only one of those meanings is in the column on the left.
Note that many of the words and accompanying expressions in this exercise (and in the
following exercises on business law) are not exclusive to business law, but may also be
applied to other legal and general areas.
1. Money claimed by someone as compensation for harm done.
2. To send someone to prison or to a court.

appeal
arrest

3. An adjective referring to a judge or to the law.

binding

4. Not guilty of a crime.

breach

5. Any act which is not legal.

case

6. A person who has studied law and can act for people on legal business.

charge

7. A disagreement or argument between parties.

civil

8. A specialist court outside the judicial system which examines special

problems.

claimant

9. A set of arguments or facts put forward by one side in a legal

proceeding.

contract

10. An official who presides over a court.

court

11. To make an allegation in legal proceedings.

crime

12. Someone who is accused of a crime in a criminal case.

criminal

13. A person who makes a claim against someone in a civil court.

damages

14. An agreement reached after an argument.

defence

15. To hold someone legally so as to charge them with a crime.

defendant

16. A case which is being heard by a committee, tribunal or court of law.

dispute

17. To find that someone is guilty of a crime.

evidence

18. Failure to carry out the terms of an agreement.

fine

19. To bring someone to court to answer a criminal charge.

20. To ask a high law court to change its decision or sentence.
21. To say that someone has committed a crime.
22. Having the legal ability to force someone to do something.
23. An adjective referring to the rights and duties of private persons or
organisations.
24. The arguments used when fighting a case.
25. A legal agreement between two or more parties.
26. An adjective referring to crime.

commit
convict

guilty
hearing
injunction
innocent
judge
judicial
jury
lawyer
legal
offence

27. A group of 12 citizens who decide whether or not someone is guilty in

a trial.

plead

28. A written or spoken statement of facts which helps to prove or disprove

something at a trial.

sentence

29. To order someone to pay money as a punishment.

30. A court order telling someone to stop doing something, or not to do
something.

prosecute
settlement
trial
tribunal

1
For reference see Dictionary of Law 4th edition (A & C Black 0-7475-6636-4).

Unit 0000
Court
structures
1. The United Kingdom
This plan shows a top-down representation of how the court system is structured in the
United Kingdom. Test your knowledge of the system by rearranging the letters in bold to
make words.
1. Court of cuJsiet of the nEuaepor umCosniimet

2. soHeu of rodsL

4. Court of pAalpe
(vCili viiinosd)

3. Court of pAalpe
(amiCriln viiinosd)

6. gHhi Court

5. wCnro Court

7. gastaitresM' Court

8. tonCyu Court

2. The USA
This plan shows a top-down representation of how the courts are structured in the USA. Test
your knowledge of the system by rearranging the letters in bold to make words.
1. peuremS Court

2. Courts of pAplae (12

cuitCris)

5. 94 stDtiric
Courts

3. Court of pAplae
(realdeF Circuit)

4. Court of italyiMr
spAplae

7. Courts of italyiMr
viRwee

6. xaT Court

8. teInrnalation edraT
Court

9. sliCma Court

10. Court of Vanstere'

spAplae

24
For reference see Dictionary of Law 4th edition (A & C Black 0-7475-6636-4).