Legal Jargon
This is the final decision made by a jury at the end of a trial, such as "guilty" or "not guilty"
What is the verdict?
A lawyer can say this when opposing counsel is asking leading questions, speculating, stating things with lack of relevance, etc.
What is "objection"?
This collective name is given to the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, which outline your most basic individual rights
What is the Bill of Rights?
This is the overarching, multi-word term used by universities to describe students planning to go to law school, though it is not an actual standalone major
What is Pre-Law?
The rights read when one is custody or questioned
What are Miranda Rights?
This is the formal term for the person or entity who initiates a civil lawsuit by filing a complaint against a defendant
What is a plaintiff?
While a criminal case ends in a verdict of guilty or not guilty, a civil trial ends with a finding of this single-word term, meaning legally responsible
What is liable?
If you are sued or accused of a serious crime, you have a constitutional right to have your case decided by one of these groups made up of your fellow citizens
What is a jury?
The primary academic degree earned by graduating law school students
What is a J.D. (Juris Doctor)?
The right to fair procedures before the government may take away life, liberty, or property
What is the right to due process?
While a criminal case ends in a verdict of guilty or not guilty, a civil trial ends with a finding of this single-word term, meaning legally responsible
What is liable?
This is the very first phase of a trial where lawyers from each side take turns addressing the jury to outline the facts they plan to prove, without presenting actual evidence yet
What is an opening statement?
In most cases, police officers must show you this official piece of paper signed by a judge before they can legally search your house
What is a search warrant?
This standard three-letter entrance exam is required for admission to most American law schools
What is the LSAT?
The legal work undertaken for free
What is pro bono?
A request made after a trial, asking another court to decide whether the trial was conducted properly
What is an appeal?
Trials which are not successfully completed, and declared void before a jury verdict or judge decision
What is a mistrial?
Being tried twice for the same crime, which you have protection against
What is double jeopardy?
This specialized type of pipeline program allows high-performing undergraduate students to complete both their bachelor's degree and their J.D. in just six years instead of seven
What is the 3-in-3 program?
This corporate-world attorney is hired directly by a single company to handle its legal matters from the inside, rather than working for an outside law firm.
What is In-House Counsel?
This two-word Latin phrase describes a court order that commands an official or lower court to perform a mandatory, non-discretionary duty required by law
What is a writ of mandamus?
This is the formal term for the initial court appearance where a criminal defendant is told what charges they face and enters a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest
What is an arraignment?
The right to not be punished for actions that were legal when committed
What is the right to be free from Ex Post Facto laws?
This is the standard number of days the general bar exam takes to complete in almost every U.S. state.
What is two days?
This legal doctrine, meaning "to stand by things decided," dictates that courts should look to past precedents when making decisions in new cases
What is the Stare Decisis?