SAT Humanities - Law and Obligations

Here you will learn some English words related to law and obligations, such as "affidavit", "felony", "judicial", etc. that you will need to ace your SATs.

review

flashcard

spelling

quiz

start-learning

proceeding [noun]

the formal process or legal action taken within a court to resolve a dispute, administer justice, etc.

Ex: The judge scheduled a preliminary proceeding to determine the admissibility of evidence .

provision [noun]

an agreed-upon condition or requirement outlined in an agreement, law, or document

Ex: The agreement ’s provision for dispute resolution was clear and detailed .

affidavit [noun]

a written statement affirmed by oath that can be used as evidence in court

Ex: Before submitting the document to the court , the attorney carefully reviewed the affidavit to ensure its accuracy and completeness .

testimony [noun]

a formal statement saying something is true, particularly made by a witness in court

Ex: Her testimony was crucial in establishing the defendant 's guilt .

accusation [noun]

a statement declaring someone's guiltiness with certainty

ruling [noun]

a decision made by someone with official power, particularly a judge

Ex: The ruling by the arbitration panel ended the long-standing dispute between the two companies .

felony [noun]

a serious crime such as arson, murder, rape, etc.

Ex: The suspect was arrested and charged with a felony after being found in possession of illegal firearms .

parole [noun]

(law) the permission for a prisoner to leave prison before the end of their imprisonment sentence, on the condition of good conduct

Ex: While on parole , individuals must comply with strict rules and regulations , including regular check-ins with a parole officer .

penalty [noun]

a punishment given for breaking a rule, law, or legal agreement

Ex: The penalty for not attending the mandatory meeting was a deduction in pay .

libel [noun]

a written statement in a legal case, outlining the harmful statements made against someone and what they seek from the court

Ex: The lawyer meticulously drafted the libel to clearly outline the instances of defamation and their impact on the plaintiff 's professional standing .

counterclaim [noun]

a response in court, stating an opposing demand

trustee [noun]

a person or group of people who control the property or money that belongs to another person

Ex: As a trustee , he had a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the trust 's beneficiaries .

offender [noun]

a person who commits a crime

Ex: The neighborhood watch group aims to identify and report any suspicious behavior by potential offenders .

verdict [noun]

an official decision made by the jury in a court after the legal proceedings

Ex: The defense team was surprised by the unexpected verdict of not guilty .

acquittal [noun]

an official judgment in court of law that declares someone not guilty of the crime they were charged with

Ex: The defense attorney argued persuasively , leading to the acquittal of their client despite the prosecution 's case .

penitentiary [noun]

a prison or correctional facility where individuals convicted of serious crimes are confined and undergo rehabilitation

Ex: The governor visited the penitentiary to inspect the conditions and speak with inmates .

reformatory [noun]

an institution designed to reform or rehabilitate young offenders rather than simply punish them

Ex: The judge believed the young offender would benefit more from time in a reformatory than in a traditional prison .

statutory [adjective]

according to or allowed by law

Ex: Employers must adhere to statutory requirements regarding minimum wage and working hours .

judicial [adjective]

belonging or appropriate for a court, a judge, or the administration of justice

Ex:

indeterminate [adjective]

(of a judicial sentence) establishing a range of time within which the offender will serve their sentence, with the possibility of early release

Ex: Indeterminate sentencing aims to balance punishment with rehabilitation .

to indict [verb]

to officially accuse a person of a crime

Ex: The district attorney may choose to indict individuals involved in public corruption .

to banish [verb]

to force someone to leave a country, often as a form of punishment or to keep them away

Ex: The ruler banished his political opponents to remote islands to prevent rebellion .

to exile [verb]

to force someone to live away from their native country, usually due to political reasons or as a punishment

Ex: The dictator decided to exile his political opponents to maintain control .

to outlaw [verb]

to officially state that something is illegal

Ex: The new legislation sought to outlaw discrimination based on gender , race , and sexual orientation .

to authorize [verb]

to officially give permission for a specific action, process, etc.

Ex: The city council authorized the construction of a new public park in the downtown area .

to enact [verb]

to approve a proposed law

Ex: The city council will convene to discuss and possibly enact a zoning ordinance .

to convict [verb]

to announce officially that someone is guilty of a crime in a court of law

Ex: The prosecutor worked diligently to build a strong case that would convict the accused .

to execute [verb]

to kill someone, especially as a legal penalty

Ex: The controversial practice of executing prisoners by firing squad has been abolished in many places due to ethical concerns .

to prosecute [verb]

to try to charge someone officially with a crime in a court as the lawyer of the accuser

Ex: The prosecutor ’s office chose not to prosecute , citing insufficient evidence .

to arbitrate [verb]

to officially resolve a disagreement between people

Ex: The HR manager was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between two employees .

non-disclosure agreement [noun]

a legally binding contract between parties, typically individuals or businesses, that outlines confidential information that the parties agree not to disclose to others

Ex: As part of the hiring process , prospective employees were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement .

confidentiality [noun]

the assurance that sensitive information will not be divulged without proper consent

Ex: The confidentiality of classified government documents is crucial for national security .

obligation [noun]

an action that one must perform because they are legally or morally forced to do so

Ex:

infringement [noun]

an action that is against a law. regulation, or agreement

$infraction$

infraction [noun]

the act of breaking or not obeying a law, agreement, etc.

Ex: Students caught cheating on exams face consequences ranging from a warning to expulsion , depending on the severity of the infraction .

inviolable [adjective]

unable to be broken or dishonored, often due to its importance or protection by law or custom

Ex: The right to personal privacy is seen as inviolable and must be respected by all .

to exempt [verb]

to officially excuse someone from a requirement or obligation

Ex: The law provides provisions to exempt certain religious practices from certain regulations .

to commit [verb]

to state that one is bound to do something specific

Ex: In response to the crisis , the humanitarian organization committed to providing emergency relief and support to affected communities .

to entrust [verb]

to give someone the responsibility of taking care of something important, such as a task, duty, or information

Ex: The CEO chose to entrust the company 's vision to the capable hands of the executive team .

to pledge [verb]

to make a binding agreement

Ex: They were pledged to service in their community .

to slander [verb]

to make false and adverse statements about someone for defamation

SAT Humanities
History and Archaeology	Art and Craft	Performance Arts and Media	Music
Literature and Culture	Social Sciences	Politics and Legislature	Power and Ruling
Law and Obligations	Conflict and Compliance	Business and Management	Religion and Belief Systems
People	Job and Social Titles	Temporary and Relative Roles	Human Qualities and Appearance
Activity and Behavior	Manual Action	Thoughts	Positive Emotions
Negative Emotions	Opinions	Positive Attitude	Negative and Neutral Attitude
Residence and Recreation	Resource and Food	Virtue	Evil
Communication	Interaction