The Lawsplain

Here’s a curated list of legal jargons with their meanings and usage examples to help enhance your legal knowledge.

Term	Meaning	Example
Ab initio	From the beginning	The contract was void ab initio due to misrepresentation.
Actus reus	Guilty act	The prosecution must prove both actus reus and mens rea.
Ad hoc	For this specific purpose	An ad hoc committee was formed to handle the case.
Affidavit	A written sworn statement of fact	She submitted an affidavit to support her claim.
Amicus curiae	Friend of the court	An amicus curiae brief was filed to assist the court.
Arbitration	Dispute resolution outside courts	The contract included a mandatory arbitration clause.
Bailment	Transfer of possession but not ownership	The valet service created a bailment relationship.
Bankruptcy	Legal status of insolvency	The firm filed for bankruptcy after incurring massive debts.
Bar	The legal profession	He was called to the bar last year.
Bench	The judges or the court	The bench reserved its verdict.
Bona fide	In good faith	They entered the agreement bona fide.
Brief	Written legal argument	The lawyer submitted a 20-page brief.
Burden of proof	Obligation to prove allegations	The burden of proof lies with the prosecution.
Case law	Law established by judicial decisions	The decision set new case law precedent.
Caveat emptor	Let the buyer beware	Under caveat emptor, the buyer takes the risk.
Cause of action	Grounds for lawsuit	The tenant had a cause of action for breach of contract.
Chattel	Personal property	The furniture was considered chattel.
Civil law	Law dealing with rights and duties	Civil law covers contracts and torts.
Common law	Law derived from court decisions	The UK follows a common law system.
Consideration	Something of value exchanged	A contract requires valid consideration.
Constitution	Fundamental legal principles	The constitution guarantees freedom of speech.
Contempt of court	Disrespecting the court	He was jailed for contempt of court.
Contract	Legally binding agreement	The parties signed a lease contract.
Conveyancing	Legal process of property transfer	He hired a solicitor for the conveyancing process.
Damages	Monetary compensation	The plaintiff was awarded damages.
De facto	In fact, but not by law	He was the de facto manager of the business.
De jure	By law	She is the de jure owner of the property.
Defamation	False statement damaging reputation	He sued the newspaper for defamation.
Discovery	Exchange of legal information	They requested emails during discovery.
Dissenting opinion	Disagreeing judicial opinion	The judge wrote a dissenting opinion.
Double jeopardy	Tried twice for same crime	Double jeopardy is prohibited by law.
Due diligence	Reasonable investigation	The investor performed due diligence before buying.
Due process	Fair legal procedure	The accused was denied due process.
Easement	Right to use another’s land	The road includes a public easement.
Embezzlement	Fraudulent taking of property	He was charged with embezzlement.
Equity	Fairness in law	The court ruled based on equity.
Escrow	Third-party held asset	Funds were placed in escrow until closing.
Estoppel	Preventing contradictory claims	The defendant was estopped from denying the lease.
Ex parte	Without other party present	The court granted an ex parte injunction.
Force majeure	Unforeseen events preventing performance	The contract included a force majeure clause.
Habeas corpus	Challenge unlawful detention	He filed a writ of habeas corpus.
Impeachment	Charging a public official	The president faced impeachment.
Injunction	Court order to do or not do something	The company was under an injunction.
Intellectual property	Legal rights to creations	Copyright is a form of intellectual property.
Jurisprudence	Philosophy of law	She studies jurisprudence at university.
Jurisdiction	Legal authority	The court lacked jurisdiction.
Liability	Legal responsibility	He accepted liability for the damages.
Lien	Right to keep possession until debt paid	The mechanic had a lien on the car.
Litigation	Process of taking legal action	The company faced costly litigation.
Malfeasance	Wrongdoing/act by public official	The mayor was accused of malfeasance.
Mediation	Dispute resolution with neutral party	They resolved the dispute through mediation.
Mens rea	Intention	Mens rea must be proven for conviction.
Mitigating circumstances	Factors reducing severity	The judge considered mitigating circumstances.