English Words for "Law and Obligations" | ACT Vocabulary

proceeding

noun

p

r

o

ə

c

s

ee

i

d

i

ɪ

n

g

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

Example

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The court proceeding lasted for several weeks as both sides presented their arguments and evidence.

Legal proceedings were initiated to settle the dispute over property rights between the heirs.

affidavit

noun

a

æ

ff

f

i

ə

d

a

eɪ

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t

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

testimony

noun

t

e

ɛ

s

t

i

ə

m

o

oʊ

n

y

i

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

ruling

noun

r

u

l

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ɪ

n

g

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

felony

noun

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e

ɛ

l

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ə

n

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i

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

parole

noun

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a

ɜ

r

o

oʊ

l

e

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

penalty

noun

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e

ɛ

n

a

ə

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

libel

noun

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aɪ

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l

a published false statement that damages a person's reputation

infraction

noun

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ɪ

n

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æ

c

k

t

ʃ

io

ə

n

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

trustee

noun

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u

ə

s

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

offender

noun

o

ə

ff

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n

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ɜ

r

a person who commits a crime

advocate

noun

a

æ

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v

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ə

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k

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eɪ

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an authorized practitioner of law who defends a person's case in a courtroom

verdict

noun

v

e

ɜ

r

d

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k

t

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

acquittal

noun

a

ə

c

k

q

u

w

i

ɪ

tt

t

a

ə

l

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

conviction

reformatory

noun

/ɹɪˈfɔɹməˌtɔɹi/

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

penitentiary

noun

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e

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n

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ɪ

t

e

ɛ

n

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

statutory

Adjective

s

t

a

æ

t

ʧ

u

ə

t

o

ɔ

r

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according to or allowed by law

judicial

Adjective

j

ʤ

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d

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ɪ

c

ʃ

ia

ə

l

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

indeterminate

Adjective

i

ɪ

n

d

e

ɪ

t

e

ɜ

r

m

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n

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

to indict

Verb

i

ɪ

n

d

i

aɪ

c

t

to officially accuse a person of a crime

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to banish

Verb

b

a

æ

n

i

ɪ

sh

ʃ

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

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to exile

Verb

e

ɛ

x

gz

i

aɪ

l

e

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

repatriate

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to outlaw

Verb

o

a

u

ʊ

t

l

a

ɔ

w

to officially state that something is illegal

legalize

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to authorize

Verb

au

ɔ

th

θ

o

ɜ

r

i

aɪ

z

e

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

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to enact

Verb

e

ɪ

n

a

æ

c

k

t

to approve a proposed law

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to convict

Verb

c

k

o

ɑ

n

v

i

ɪ

c

k

t

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

acquit

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to execute

Verb

e

ɛ

x

ks

e

ə

c

k

u

ju

t

e

to kill someone, especially as a legal penalty

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to prosecute

Verb

p

r

o

ɑ

s

e

ə

c

k

u

ju

t

e

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

defend

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to arbitrate

Verb

a

ɑ

r

b

i

ə

t

r

a

eɪ

t

e

to officially resolve a disagreement between people

Grammatical Information:

transitive

non-disclosure agreement

noun

/nˈɑːndɪsklˈoʊʒɚɹ ɐɡɹˈiːmənt/

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

confidentiality

noun

c

k

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ɑ

n

f

i

ə

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e

ɛ

n

t

ʃ

ia

iæ

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

obligation

noun

o

ɑ

b

l

i

ə

g

a

eɪ

t

ʃ

io

ə

n

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

provision

noun

p

r

o

ə

v

i

ɪ

s

ʒ

io

ə

n

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

inviolable

Adjective

i

ɪ

n

v

io

aɪə

l

a

ə

b

ə

l

e

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

violable

to exempt

Verb

e

ɪ

x

gz

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ɛ

m

p

t

to officially excuse someone from a requirement or obligation

enforce

to commit

Verb

c

k

o

ə

mm

m

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ɪ

t

to state that one is bound to do something specific

Grammatical Information:

transitive

to entrust

Verb

e

ɛ

n

t

r

u

ə

s

t

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

Grammatical Information:

ditransitive

to pledge

Verb

p

l

e

ɛ

dg

ʤ

e

to make a binding agreement

Grammatical Information:

ditransitive

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You learned 38 words from ACT Law and Obligations Vocabulary. To improve learning and review vocabulary, start practicing.

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