to sue
/ˈsu/
verbto bring a charge against an individual or organization in a law court
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Examples
1. Saudi billionaire sued a New York author in London.
2. - Your grandfather sued the government.
3. The trees sued people.
4. Sue that man for malpractice.
5. In 2009, a Saudi couple somehow sued one for harassment.
to acquit
/əˈkwɪt/
verbofficially deciding and declaring in a law court that someone is not guilty of a crime
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Examples
1. An all-white jury in Kansas City acquitted the killer, Raymond Bledsoe, the following year.
2. Most medieval English felony juries acquitted.
3. Jimmy Omura, the newspaper columnist, was acquitted.
4. He was acquitted.
5. 1999, Bill Clinton, acquitted.
to bail
/ˈbeɪɫ/
verbto release someone until their trial after they gave an amount of money to the court
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Examples
1. Bail is an important constitutional right.
2. Sam’s father, Tom, put up bail for the couple.
3. The 15 furthest to the left bailed on him.
4. I kinda bailed mid-way.
5. - Bail, not break.
to condemn
/kənˈdɛm/
verbto give a severe punishment to someone who has committed a major crime
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Examples
1. So chapter 34 condemns the shepherds.
2. The Deuteronomistic historian in Second Kings 16 condemns this action.
3. And then the cross condemned the soldiers.
4. The religious authorities in the Entente countries publicly condemned the proclamation.
5. Every major leader condemned acts of violence and selfishness under the threat of excommunication.
to convict
/ˈkɑnvɪkt/, /kənˈvɪkt/
verbto announce officially that someone is guilty of a crime in a court of law
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Examples
1. - They convicted an innocent man.
2. The police chief was convicted.
3. So just this one investigation at that one farm in Wisconsin-- four of the employees were convicted of multiple counts of animal cruelty.
4. None were convicted.
5. Only one soldier was ever convicted.
to detain
/dɪˈteɪn/
verbto officially hold someone in a place, such as a jail, and not let them go
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Examples
1. One protester was detained at this location nearby.
2. Journalist for Bloomberg news Haze Fan was detained in December.
3. Detained, yes.
4. Harris County, for example detains 40% of all misdemeanor defendants.
5. And together, they detained the snake overnight.
to enforce
/ɛnˈfɔɹs/
verbto ensure that a law or rule is followed
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Examples
1. The court enforces the law.
2. Enforcing those IP rights.
3. So federal judges will enforce Article I, section 10.
4. My wife enforces a policy of no devices during dinner.
5. Animal agriculture systematically enforces the opposite.
to legislate
/ˈɫɛdʒɪˌsɫeɪt/
verbto make or enact laws that affect something
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Examples
1. We legislated racial desegregation.
2. They don't legislate compassion.
3. Nobody legislates.
4. Legislated out.
5. You cannot legislate morality.
to prosecute
/ˈpɹɑsəkˌjut/
verbto try to charge someone officially with a crime in a court as the lawyer of the accuser
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Examples
1. Depending on their own laws, each country could prosecute the same crime.
2. Under her direction, the office successfully prosecuted numerous corrupt public officials, terrorists, cyber criminals, and many human traffickers among other important cases.
3. He successfully prosecuted corporations for their corruption in Argentina.
4. "And the prosecutor was prosecuting "the company of the son and the son.
5. - Yeah, prosecuting.
to testify
/ˈtɛstəˌfaɪ/
verbto make a statement as a witness in court saying something is true
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Examples
1. Medical officials testify about the cause of George Floyd's death in the murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin.
2. This picture testifies to Bela Hazan's courage.
3. She testifies.
4. Your honor, counsel is testifying.
5. A medical examiner testifies a lot.
advocate
/ˈædvəˌkeɪt/, /ˈædvəkət/
nounan authorized practitioner of law who defends a person's case in a courtroom
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Examples
1. The experienced statesman advocated a policy of peaceful relations with the other heads of state of Europe.
2. The Swedes advocate limited social distancing.
3. He advocated induction.
4. They advocated an ideal Christian commonwealth.
5. The model of the US Air Force advocates service before self.
FBI
/ˌɛfbˌiːˈaɪ/
nouna law enforcement agency controlled by the central government that deals with crimes that involve more than one state
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Examples
1. The FBI files reveal a nationwide reign of terror.
2. FBI did an amazing job.
3. FBI agent memes.
4. The site also includes celebrity FBI files.
5. I literally go FBI mode.
cop
/ˈkɑp/
nounsomeone who works as one of the members of a police force
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Examples
1. cops were there. -
2. Really copping a squat.
3. Cops outnumber the criminals at the scene, 40 to one.
4. Co-- cop out-- cop out--
5. Cops shut down massive 3000-person game of hide-and-seek at IKEA.
plain-clothes
/plˈeɪnklˈoʊðz/
adjective(of a police officer) dressed in civilian clothes while on duty
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Examples
1. Well, isn't it better than plain-clothes cops don't have to face off with drug lords unarmed?
handcuff
/ˈhændˌkəf/
nouna pair of rings made of metal with a chain attached to them, used for putting on the wrists of prisoners
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Examples
1. "He put handcuffs on me."
2. - Where are the handcuffs?
3. Where are my handcuffs?
4. Handcuffs are extremely painful.
5. I quite like handcuffs.
patrol
/pəˈtɹoʊɫ/
nounthe act of going around a place at regular intervals to prevent a crime or wrongdoing from being committed
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Examples
1. Crocodiles patrolled the waters.
2. Where soldiers patrol the streets.
3. - Where soldiers patrol the streets.
4. Meanwhile, their colleagues Abam and Abdi patrol a tried-and-true manta site.
5. Larger predators patrol the foggy city limits in search of easy prey.
defendant
/dɪˈfɛndənt/
nouna person in a law court who is sued by someone else or is accused of committing a crime
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Examples
1. The prosecution calls the defendant.
2. Defendants had no counsel.
3. Defendants could not get their trial.
4. Defendants have always known these facts.
5. The defendant will answer the question.
hangman
/ˈhæŋmən/
nouna person whose job is hanging criminals
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Examples
1. Davies the hangman was by her side.
2. The hangman then applied torture at the direction of a council of examiners.
3. - Slangman's like Hangman, but it's slang.
4. It's like Hangman, except for it's Wedgieman.
5. We could play Hangman.
juvenile
/ˈdʒuvəˌnaɪɫ/, /ˈdʒuvənəɫ/
nouna young person who has not reached adulthood yet
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Examples
1. Juveniles off the eastern coast of North America eat a bunch of different species of algae.
2. The Kentucky prison reforms did not address juvenile incarceration.
3. The juveniles just need a bit of encouragement.
4. The juveniles lead the research team to the woodland.
5. Juvenile males are almost identical to females.
magistrate
/ˈmædʒəˌstɹeɪt/, /ˈmædʒɪˌstɹeɪt/
nouna person who acts as a judge in a law court and deals with minor offenses
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Examples
1. 'Yes, certainly,' the magistrate answered.
2. Magistrates did put emergency dearth regulations into operation in the aftermath of food riots.
3. Magistrate judges can accept felony jury verdicts.
4. He wants the magistrate there.
5. What is a magistrate?
outlaw
/ˈaʊtˌɫɔ/
nouna person who has done something against the law and is on the run to escape punishment, used particularly about people in the past
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Examples
1. Four years ago, the government outlawed the sale of BronCleer.
2. Outlaw our country?
3. In fact, Romes first emperor outlawed fights to the death entirely.
4. When the mayor actually outlawed fun.
5. In 2017, the country outlawed the religion.
bond
/ˈbɑnd/
noun(law) an amount of money paid to temporarily release a person from prison until their trial
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Examples
1. Those two discrete eras give Bonds a striking list of achievements and accolades.
2. Bonds had famous blowups and dugout brawls.
3. Bonds produced.
4. Bonds had absolutely obliterated a pitch from K-Rod.
5. Bonding the river?
court order
/kˈoːɹt ˈɔːɹdɚ/
nounan order given by a judge or court regarding a case
Examples
lawsuit
/ˈɫɔˌsut/
nouna complaint or claim that someone brings to a law court for settlement
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Examples
1. Lawsuits are expensive though
2. So of course, lawsuits went a fly.
3. Corporations can file lawsuits too.
4. Lawsuits were brought.
5. The lawsuit also includes a poll observer component.
hearing
/ˈhiɹɪŋ/
noun(law) an official gathering in a court of law, especially without the presence of the jury, to find out information about a case and listen to evidence
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Examples
1. No evidence exists of an early device to enhance hearing, but it probably did exist.
2. So they organized hearings.
3. They hold hearings.
4. The city council has hearings.
5. Hearing is usually impaired.
custody
/ˈkəstədi/
nouna state in which a person is kept in jail or prison, particularly while waiting to be tried
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Examples
1. At least five migrant children have died in government custody since September.
2. Their mother lost custody of the children.
3. Can we have custody?
4. They have shared custody.
5. Celeste ultimately keeps full custody.
declaration
/ˌdɛkɫɝˈeɪʃən/
noun(law) an official written document that people sign to agree on something or accept something as true
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Examples
1. She hated sweeping declarations.
2. The third one, is public declaration.
3. Make a declaration to yourself.
4. The declaration will fix the limits of our activity.
5. He writes a declaration.
guilt
/ˈɡɪɫt/
nounthe state of having committed an offense or crime
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Examples
1. The vibration of shame and guilt, guilt is a higher vibration than shame.
2. They felt guilt.
3. What's guilt?
4. So it's just delayed guilt.
5. Guilt I guess.
innocence
/ˈɪnəsəns/
nounthe state of being not guilty of a crime or offense
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Examples
1. He proved my innocence.
2. Innocence has been restored.
3. Innocence has been restored.
4. innocence is over.
5. What is innocence?
legalization
/ˌɫiɡəɫəˈzeɪʃən/
nounthe action of making something legal
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Examples
1. Legalization is changing the weed industry.
2. 84% of Americans are in favor of legalization.
3. Legalization is what we're doing with alcohol.
4. We already see some legalizations.
5. Is legalization long overdue?
pro bono
/pɹˈoʊ bˈoʊnoʊ/
adjectivereferring to a legal work that is done free of charge, often by a lawyer
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Examples
1. I've gotten to know Felicia a bit in her role as, also, Co-chair of Wilmer Hale's Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, where she's been a champion for many causes on behalf of those with unmet legal needs.
2. The Legal Services Center has had the privilege of working closely with various predecessors of Felicia over the years who have led the firm's Pro Bono and Community Service Committee.
3. The Andrew L. Kaufman Pro Bono Service Award is granted each year to honor professor Andrew Kaufman who has been instrumental in creating and supporting the Pro Bono service program at HLS.
plea
/ˈpɫi/
noun(law) a formal statement made by someone confirming or denying their accusation
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Examples
1. Basket, not get on Peel a plea.
2. Some laments are pleas for forgiveness of personal sins.
3. Pleas look at the reading guide.
4. Guilty pleas are an inherent part of the flow of the system.
5. The plea is ignored.
testimony
/ˈtɛstəˌmoʊni/
nouna formal statement saying something is true, particularly made by a witness in court
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Examples
1. And victims offered testimony.
2. Testimony starts with test.
3. Interestingly, the coroner's report also includes testimony about the crime scene from Deputy Coroner Loretta Andrews.
4. This testimony blew up the whole narrative of the case.
5. Testimony torpedoes republican defenses of Trump.
verdict
/ˈvɝdɪkt/
nounan official decision made by the jury in a court after the legal proceedings
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Examples
1. Verdict, what do you think?
2. - All right folks, the verdict is in.
3. Magistrate judges can accept felony jury verdicts.
4. - Has the jury reached a verdict?
5. Here's Dan Stapleton's verdict.
warrant
/ˈwɔɹənt/
nounan order issued by a judge that authorizes the police to carry out certain measures
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Examples
1. High fevers probably warrant a call, as do fevers with a headache, sore neck, or rash.
2. Earaches, bad sore throats, and pain/redness/swelling of joints all warrant a call.
3. Forget warrants.
4. But a first look always warrants a second.
5. Traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice warrant the Tribal Court's exercise of jurisdiction in this case.
applicable
/ˈæpɫəkəbəɫ/
adjectiverelevant to someone or something
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Examples
1. The improvements to Smart HDR are applicable across cameras.
2. Not all advice is applicable in every single situation or to every single person.
3. A similar logic is applicable to your life.
4. So variational inference in its classic form was applicable to only a small set of models.
5. The same thing is applicable for each zodiac sign.
invalid
/ˈɪnvəɫəd/, /ˈɪnvəɫɪd/, /ˌɪnˈvæɫəd/
adjectiveofficially or legally unacceptable
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Examples
1. Your argument is now invalid.
2. In other words, the whole ceremony was basically invalid!
3. Or your Microsoft key is invalid.
4. So the patent was invalid.
5. And now that patent is invalid.
judicial
/dʒuˈdɪʃəɫ/
adjectivebelonging or appropriate for a court, a judge, or the administration of justice
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Examples
1. My civil rights, my natural rights, my political rights, my judicial rights are ignored.
2. Judicial writing for RBG was an act of reverence.
3. They fear the judicial system.
4. A judicial appointed under the statute.
5. Judicial power is a shame for the nation.
liable
/ˈɫaɪəbəɫ/
adjectivelegally held accountable for the cost of something
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Examples
1. Auto Zone's competitors are liable to not give up commercial auto parts retail market share without a fight either.
2. That's jointly and severally liable.
3. And in some states, the man is liable also.
4. Certainly, that person then could be liable under 1708.8.
5. And that person would be liable under section 1708.8.
regulatory
/ˈɹɛɡjəɫəˌtɔɹi/
adjectiverelated to an organization or group of people who have the power to control an activity or process to see if it follows a set of particular rules
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Examples
1. Bytedance also faces regulatory issues at home and abroad.
2. The company is seeking U.S. regulatory approval.
3. Now the next bit of that is regulatory.
4. The regulatory state has just vastly increased the need for lawyers.
5. Regulatory style is a bigger deal breaker.
undercover
/ˌəndɝˈkəvɝ/
adjectiveworking or conducted secretly under the supervision of a law enforcement agency to gather information or catch criminals
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Examples
1. And undercover agent gets an exam.
2. Undercover cops hung around bus stations.
3. Sometimes, bodyguards have to go undercover.
4. We went undercover.
5. I'm undercover.
lethal
/ˈɫiθəɫ/
adjectivecausing death or able to kill
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Examples
1. But her charm had inspired lethal jealousy.
2. Loneliness is lethal.
3. All weapons are lethal.
4. Most shotgun wounds are lethal.
5. Both forms are lethal.
to declare
/dɪˈkɫɛɹ/
verbto officially tell people something
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Examples
1. Declare victory.
2. Each one declares victory.
3. Local officials declare a state of emergency.
4. Cookie dough is declared its national food.
5. Even stars like politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have declared their love for the Instant Pot.
hearsay
/ˈhiɹˌseɪ/
noun(law) restatement of other people's words by a witness in a law court, which is not counted as evidence
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Examples
1. This is really hearsay.
2. It's hearsay technically.
3. yeah, okay, hearsay is what?
4. - Is that hearsay?
5. What is hearsay?
public prosecutor
/pˈʌblɪk pɹˈɑːsɪkjˌuːɾɚ/
nouna lawyer employed by a government, whose job is to prove that a person is guilty of a crime in a law court
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Examples
1. That video being investigated by the Public Prosecutor.
to rat out
/ɹˈæt ˈaʊt/
verbto inform an authority about the wrongdoings or crimes of others
Examples
to rat on
/ɹˈæt ˈɑːn/
verbto inform an authority about the wrong or illegal actions of others
Examples
to pinch
/ˈpɪntʃ/
verbto take someone into custody
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Examples
1. The chefs pinch eight pleats for good luck.
2. My expectation, Aw, pinched my finger.
3. Pinch a two-inch fold of skin in the clean injection site.
4. Firmly pinch the two shorter sides together.
5. Pinch the top.