PIELMUŞ CRISTINA

Practise Your
LEGAL ENGLISH
A Vocabulary Workbook for Law Students

Editura Universitaria
2013
Exercise 1 Latin phrases
A. Find the corresponding definition for the Latin phrases
below.

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ab intitio … “things which are said in passing”
… “and what follows”
actus reus … “in private”; to which the public do not have access
… used in the adjournment of legal proceedings without
bona fide fixing a date on which the proceeding will recommence
… “as a favour”; not legally obliged
in personam … “stand by what has been decided”; the tradition of
honouring and following the previous decisions of the courts
in situ and established points of law
… “by itself”
inter alia … a plea of no contest, in which the defendant neither
admits, nor disputes a charge
inter vivos … “by speaking”
… “as often as necessary”
locus in quo … a writ (a court order) that is usually used to bring a legal
remedy to a prisoner against wrongful imprisonment
caveat … “at first sight”; on first impression
… “unless”; this relates to a court order which will become
corpus delicti effective at a certain time, unless cause is shown within a
certain period why it should not become effective
doli capax … a statement at the end of a deed or will that the parties
have signed it
mens rea … “in the opposite way”
… “among other things”
obiter dicta …. something for something”, mutual concessions made by
the parties in a transaction
per capita … “on the original site”
… the entire body of law for a particular legal entity
pro bono publico … an action at court against a person
… “in proportion”
vice versa … “from the beginning”
… “a guilty act”; the material element of the crime, which
viva voce may be the commission of a forbidden action or the failure
to perform a required action
compos mentis … “among living persons”
… “for the public good”; usually refers to legal
sui generis representation undertaken without fee for some charitable
purpose
toties quoties … “in good faith”; without any element of dishonesty or
fraud
habeas corpus … “without notice”; an application made either by an
interested person who is not a party to an action or by a
corpus juris party in the absence of the others
… “in a class of its own”
de facto … a proof that a crime has been committed
… “capable of crime”
ipso facto … “the place where”
… “in fact”
et seq (et sequentes) … “let him beware”; a formal notice filed by an interested
party with a court or officer, which prevents any action
ex gratia being taken without notice first being given to the filer
… “by this fact, in itself”
ex parte … “for each person”
… “sane”
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in camera … “a guilty mind”; the mental element of the crime or what
was intended by the perpetrator of the crime
nisi

quid pro quo

nolo contendere

per se

prima facie

pro rata

sine die

stare decisis

testimonium

B. Complete the sentences below with appropriate latin phrases from the exercise above.

1. The mediator asked the two sides in the dispute to make a …………………… effort to solve the
dispute. 
2. The defence counsel issued a …………………… to allow her client to gather enough evidence
before they appear in court.  
3. ……………………, it seems that the man has enough evidence to take legal action against his
employer. 
4. The government and the teachers changed their contract demands in a …………………… effort
to solve their dispute. 
5. Because the provision of …………………… legal services is a professional responsibility, it is
the individual ethical commitment of each lawyer.
6. A federal judge has dismissed more than 100 …………………… lawsuits filed by former
prisoners.
7. The concept of …………………… relates to the binding nature of an earlier decision over a
subsequent Bench called upon to decide over a similar issue.
8. If there is no ………………… such as in an accident, an individual cannot be found guilty of a
crime requiring criminal intent.
9. An …………………… contact may describe a judge who communicates with one party to a
lawsuit to the exclusion of the other party.
10. The prosecution counsel failed to prove the …………………… in his murder trial and,
therefore, the defendant was acquitted.

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Exercise 2 Legal adverbs
A. Match the following legal adverbs (1-20) with their corresponding meaning (a-t).

1. hereafter a. relating to this document or part of it

b. accompanying that document
2. hereby
c. previous to the production of this document
3. herein d. in the time before that document was produced
e. mentioned in this same section of this document
4. hereinafter
f. resulting from this document
5. hereof g. mentioned previously in that document
h. following that document
6. hereto
i. accompanying this document
7. heretofore j. appearing somewhere in this document
k. listed later in this document
8. hereunder
l. appearing somewhere in that document
9. herewith m. following this document
n. in the future – from the production of this document on
10. thereafter
o. listed later in that document
11. thereby p. resulting from that document or decision
q. mentioned in that section of that document
12. therefore
r. for that reason or purpose
13. therein s. relating to that document
t. from the production of that document until now
14. thereinafter
15.thereinbefore
16.thereinunder
17. thereof
18. thereto
19. theretofore
20. therewith

B. Use some of the legal adverbs above to complete the sentences below.
1. The terms of the product sale agreement, …………………. referred to as “the Agreement”, will
be further explained.
2. The parties to the lawsuit ………………… agree to settle the matter out of court.
3. The price and terms ………………… specified may be adjusted by the Seller at any time by
written notice.
4. You will find attached ……………….. the text of the European Union Treaty.
5. The two parties signed the joint venture agreement and the company ………………….. started to
operate in full ownership.
6. The parties have …………………. negotiated and agreed upon the terms of the contract.
7. The terms and conditions specified ………………….. constitute a binding agreement between
the parties.
8. The following contractual terms shall have the meanings set forth …………………...
9. The Court finds that the arbitration agreement is illusory and …………………. unenforceable.
10. If any part of a contract of employment is at variance with a collective agreement applicable
………………….., such part of a contract of employment shall be invalid.
11. Because the plaintiffs were not party to the Terms and Conditions Agreement, they are not
bound by the arbitration clause …………………..
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12. I have carefully read the terms and conditions of the agreement and I fully understand the legal
consequences ………………….

Exercise 3 Legal verb phrases

Find the best translation for the legal verb phrases below. Then use them in your own sentences.

 to comply with a law/legal provisions/the acquis

 to infringe a law/legal provisions
 to resolve differences
 to draft a law/ legal provisions/ a treaty/ a bill
 to implement a law/ a treaty/ legal provisions
 to override a law/ a decision
 to stem from legal provisions/ a limitation of sovereignty
 to pass a law/ an act/ a bill
 to enforce the law/ legal provisions
 to amend a law
 to frame a law/ legal provisions/ a treaty

Exercise 4
Match the following legal terms with their definitions. Write the number of the definition next to
the corresponding term.

o indictment _____
o venue _____
o bench trial _____
o common law _____
o judgement _____
o crime _____
o damages _____
o arraignment _____
o cross-examination _____
o deposition _____
o tort _____
o moot _____
o alternative dispute resolution _____
o complaint _____
o plea bargain _____

1. methods of resolving disputes, such as mediation and arbitration, without trial and often with the
help of neutral third parties
2. the process in which the defendant is brought before the judge in the court where he or she is to
be tried to respond to the grand jury indictment or the prosecutor’s bill of information
3. a trial without a jury in which the judge decides which party prevails
4. a suit brought by persons having similar grievances against a common entity
5. a system of law based on legal precedents or tradition instead of statutory law or systematic legal
codes
6. a written statement filed by the plaintiff that initiates a civil case; it states the wrongs allegedly
committed by the defendant and requests relief from the court
7. an offence against the state punishable by fine, imprisonment, or death
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8. money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate them for their
injuries.
9. an oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements
are taken to examine potential witnesses in the discovery process
10. the decision of a grand jury to order a defendant to stand trial because the jury believes that
probable cause exists to warrant a trial
11. the official decision of a court finally resolving the dispute between the parties to the lawsuit
12. describes a case when the basic facts or the status of the parties have significantly changed in
the interim when the suit was filed and when it comes before the judge
13. a bargain or deal that has been struck between the prosecutor and the defendant’s attorney
whereby some form of leniency is promised in exchange for a guilty plea
14. a civil wrong or breach of duty to another person
15. the geographical location in which a case is tried

Exercise 5
Choose the legal term from the list below (A-O) that best matches each definition or explanation.

A impeachment
B defendant
C voir dire
D equity
E bill of information
F concurrent jurisdiction
G judicial review
H private law
I criminal law
J declaratory judgement
K felony
L civil law
M appellate jurisdiction
N plaintiff
O misdemeanour

1. _______________ the authority of a higher court to review the decision of a lower court
2. _______________ a statement of the charges against the accused prepared by the prosecutor,
which, if approved by a judge, will require the accused to stand trial (without a grand jury) for the
alleged crimes
3. _______________ the law that pertains to the relationship between one private citizen and
another, between a private citizen and a corporation, or between one corporation and another
4. _______________ a situation in which two courts have a legal right to hear the same case
5. _______________ the law that pertains to offences against state itself, actions that may be
directed against a person but that are deemed to be offensive to society as a whole
6. _______________ when a court outlines the rights of the parties under a statute, a will, or a
contract
7. _______________ in a civil case, the person or organization against whom the plaintiff brings a
suit; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime
8. _______________ that realm of the law in which the judge is able to issue a remedy that will
either prevent or cure the wrong that is about to happen
9. _______________ any offence for which the penalty may be death or imprisonment in a
penitentiary
10. _______________ an accusation or charge; a formal document charging a public official with
misconduct in office

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11. _______________ the power of a judicial branch to declare acts of the executive and legislative
branches unconstitutional
12. _______________ a petty crime for which the punishment usually consists in confinement in a
city or county jail for less than a year
13. _______________ the person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit
14. _______________ this deals with the rights and obligations that private individuals and
institutions have when they relate to one another
15. _______________ the procedure by which opposing attorneys question potential jurors to
determine whether the jurors might be prejudicial to their individual cases