Acknowledgement of Service Court form

used by a party to legal proceedings to confirm receipt of a Statement of Case (such as a claim form).

Acquittal A finding by a court of not guilty to a criminal charge.

Action Legal proceedings / Claim.

Advocacy Representing a party by means of

spoken submission to a court or tribunal.

Advocate A court lawyer.

Affidavit A written statement sworn on oath.

Agenda An itinerary or list of matters for discussion at a meeting.

Aggravated Damages Additional compensation awarded by a court to compensate for particularly objectionable conduct on the part of the Defendant.

Agreement Contract or arrangement agreed

orally or in writing between different parties.

Alibi A defence to a criminal charge based on

the contention that the accused was elsewhere

when the crime is alleged to have been committed.

Appeal Challenge to the validity or correctness of a decision of a court or tribunal (usually based on the contention that the law was incorrectly interpreted).

Appellant Term used to describe a party appealing against a court or tribunal decision.

Applicant Person or organisation commencing Employment Tribunal proceedings or making an application to court for a specific remedy prior to trial.

Arrest The physical seizure of an individual

(normally by a policeman) on suspicion of a

crime having been committed by that individual or to prevent a crime being committed.

Attorney American term for lawyer.

Bar = a wooden stand where someone can speak to the court

Bail The release of an individual from police

custody pending further appearance by that

person in court or at a police station.

To be called to the bar = to have the right to speak in court

Barrister A lawyer who is a specialist court

advocate and referred to as ‘counsel’ (often being instructed by a solicitor to appear in court on behalf of a client).

Brief a document giving the facts of a legal case

Brief to Counsel Set of instructions prepared

by a solicitor and provided to a barrister, setting out details of a case (including relevant facts and law etc.) to enable the barrister to provide representation in court on behalf of a client.

Burden of Proof Term used to indicate

which party the onus is placed on to establish

or prove a case and to what degree. E.g. in a

civil case the burden of proof is on the

Claimant to establish the case on the ‘balance of probabilities’ (whereas in a criminal case

the prosecution must normally establish the

case beyond all reasonable doubt).

Case a legal matter that will be decided in a court, e.g.: criminal case

Case-law Law created by court decisions, i.e.

law created by cases which provide precedents of relevance for future legal disputes (see ‘Precedent’ below).

Cause of Action The legal grounds or basis

of a claim or ‘action’ commenced in court (e.g.breach of contract).

Case A legal dispute between specific parties.

Certificate of Incorporation Certificate issued by the Registrar of Companies confirming that a company has been incorporated (i.e. legally recognised as having been created).

Chambers Has two main meanings: (1) to refer to a hearing in private as opposed to in

open court (ref. to as being ‘in chambers’) and (2) to refer to a barrister’s place of work (‘counsel’s chambers’).

Charge Allegation (usually in writing) of specific criminal conduct against an individual. (That individual is then said to have been ‘charged’ – such as with theft for instance.)

Civil Action / Proceedings Legal action based on a civil right (as opposed to a criminal action) such as breach of contract, for instance.