法律英语复习重点
Why
What
Tools
How
Additional advice & course description Arrangement of the textbook
Home
What to learn?
To learn and refine your own English（扎实的基本功，法律语⾔句式复杂，长句多）Acquire the language of law
Acquire knowledge of the basic legal concepts Some features of legal language
common words with special meaning
Old and Middle English words
Latin words and phrases
French words
Use of argot
Long sentence
WORDS LEGAL MEANING action 诉讼Consideration补偿/对价/约因Counterpart副本
executed签名使契据⽣效
Hand签字
律师资格证Instrument⽂件
eg. Legal instrument: legal document
(1) common words with special meaning WORDS LEGAL MEANING Letters 许可证
Party 诉讼⽅、合同缔结⽅、当事⼈
Prayer诉讼请求
Presents本⽂件this legal document Said上述的mentioned before Eg. the said witness 该证⼈
Serve送达
Specialty盖印合同sealed contract Provide for 规定
Remedy补救办法
(2) Old and Middle English words If any of the terms or provisions of this Contract shall be declared illegal or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the parties hereto agree to do all things and cooperate in all ways open to them to obtain substantially the same result or as much thereof as may be possible, including the amendment or alteration of these presents 若主管法庭宣布本合同任何条款或规定⾮法或⽆效，双⽅同意将尽最⼤努⼒采取⼀切可⾏措施，包括修改或更换合同，以取得⼤体相同或尽可能多的效益
here words: hereafter（此后、将来）, hereby （籍此）, herein（此中、此处）, hereinafter （在下⽂）
, hereof, hereto there words: thereby, thereof（因此）, therein （在那⾥）, thereon, thereto, theretofore, thereupon, therewith
aforesaid如前所述
said (used as an adjective)
Such上述的
forthwith⽴刻
thence从那时起, thenceforth从那时起/其后Where words: whereby（由是、因此）, whereof （关于它）
witness (used in the sense of testimony by signature, oath, etc. as “In witness whereof, I have set my hand, ...”签字盖章，特此为证witnesseth鉴于(meaning to provide formal evidence of something, the Old English present indicative, third person singular verb form.)
(3) Latin words and phrases
alias别名, 化名
Alibi不在犯罪现场的证明/不在犯罪现场⼀种辩护形式
bona fide善意/真诚的
versus
(4) French words
Action 诉讼
Agreement 协议
Appeal 上诉
arrest
arson 纵⽕
assault 袭击
attorneys 律师
battery 殴打罪
bill 法案、议案
claim 索取
Condition 条款
contract
evidence 契约法、合同法
execution 执⾏
guarantee担保物/抵押品
infant未成年⼈
judges
judgment 审判
jurors 陪审员
justice
(5) Use of argot
The language of the law, sometimes even a particular word, has a dual aspect. Lawyers use language that is intended to speak to lawyers and laymen, as in contracts, jury instructions, notices, and even laws. Lawyers also use language that is intended to speak primarily to each other, as in pleadings, opinions, argument and in the day-to-day negotiation and
discussion that is the lawyer's life. In this aspect, a portion of the language of the law is ARGOT, a 'professional language'. E.g.:
alleged有嫌疑的
case
cause of action 原告的起诉原由damages 损害赔偿
due care 应有注意
inferior court 下级法院
issue of fact关于事实的争论点
issue of law关于引⽤法律的争论点pursuant to stipulation
reversed and remanded发回重审
superior court ⾼级法院
Any person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, while having dealings of any kind with any other public body, offers any advantage to any public servant employed by that public body, shall be guilty of an offence.
任何⼈与其它公共机构进⾏任何事务往来时,⽆合法权限或合理理由⽽向受雇于该公共机构的公职⼈员提供任何利益﹐即属犯罪。
●statute n.
制定法，联邦、州、市或县的⽴法机关均可制定，专指以⽴法形式创设的法律。
●legislation
⽴法；⽴法活动；制定法（总称）
●code：法典n.
<《美国统⼀商法典》（Uniform Commercial Code，简称UCC）
●civil law：罗马法；罗马法系；⼤陆法系；民法法系
●common law：普通法；普通法系；判例法系
After-class assignment 1:
What are the major legal systems in the world today?
The difference among them?
Explain within 8 mins.
Common law 普通法
Judge-made law 法官制定的法
Precedent 判例、先例（早些时候发⽣的案例，其判决结果可作为现在及将来类似案件的判决依据）
Civil law system ⼤陆法
Precedent/previous judicial decision is binding and is considered as a source of law (the distinctive feature of common-law system)
1. legislation
Parliament---the supreme legislative authority (House of Lords; House of Commons)
British legislation includes: Acts of Parliament
（议会⽴法）, subordinate or delegated legislation（授权⽴法）, and Community legislation（共同体⽴法）
Acts of Parliament are the supreme form of law---the validity of which can not be questioned by any English court
2. Courts and tribunals
court 法庭
tribunal 裁判庭
arbitration 仲裁
exercise v. 执⾏、⾏使
Court of Appeal 上诉法庭
Court of first instance/ Trial court 初审法庭the supreme court 最⾼法院
3. judges
Lord Chancellor (英国上议院的)⼤法官
the most important judge in Britain
4. hearing
hear v. 审理
adversarial procedure辩论式诉讼程序adversary system对抗制诉讼模式，此制度允许双⽅当事⼈为了获得有利于⾃⼰的判决⽽进⾏辩论，法官只能就辩论的范围以第三者的姿态加以决断。其区别于⼤陆法系国家纠问制诉讼模式（inquisitorial system）plaintiff原告
testimony证词
cross-examine交叉盘问，<；律>向(对⽅证⼈)反询问
Self-reading: p264-267
5. Legal profession律师制度
Lawyer可以包括律师、检查官、法官、法学教师，亦可译为“法律⼈”
美国的律师通常称为attorney
英国的律师分为barrister和solicitor barrister (英国有资格在⾼等法庭作辩护的)专门律师，出庭律师，⼤律师
solicitor的意思【英】初级律师( 法律咨询，只能在低级法庭出庭的律师)
Barrister⼀词，源⾃英格兰法律，多⽤于英国、新加坡等国和⾹港地区，⼜称“⼤律师”、“巴律师”、“⾼级律师”、“出庭律师”、“辩护律师”、“专门律师”，指那些能在英国上级法院执⾏律师职务的律师。
Barrister（⼤律师），⼀般是精通某门法律或某类案件的专家。他们不仅通过辩护为当事⼈提供法律服务，⽽且回答⼩律师们（solicitor）提出的疑难问题。
此外，⼤律师经过⼤法官的提名，可被授予皇家⼤律师（Queen’s counsel，也译为王室法律顾问，简称QC。）的称号。⼤律师还可被任命为⾼等法院法官和上诉法院法官。
由于⼤律师具有较⾼的社会地位，所以取得⼤律师资格的条件很严格：第⼀，要受过⼀定的⾼等教育。第⼆，必须参加⼀个⼤律师组织——四⼤法学院(即林肯律师学院、格雷律师学院、内殿律师学院和中殿律师学院)，作为该院的学⽣，完成学术与职业训练，参加法学院内⼀定的餐会次数（Dining terms）。第三，必须提交品格良好的证明书。第四，法学院学习期满后，在有经验的⼤律师指导下，实习⼀年，签署⼊会誓⾔。
Solicitor⼀词源⾃英格兰法律，多⽤于英国、新加坡等国和⾹港地区，⼜称“⼩律师”、“沙律师”、“初级律师”、“撰状律师”、“诉讼律师”，在⾹港称为“事务律师”。
Solicitor是直接受当事⼈委托，在下级法院及诉讼外执⾏律师职务，为当事⼈提供多种法律服务的⼈。
Solicitor(⼩律师)的活动范围⽐⼤律师要⼴泛得多。他们可以担任政府、公司、银⾏、商店、公私团体的法律顾问，可以在下级法院，如治安法院、郡法院和验⼫官法院执⾏代理和辩护职务，还可以处理⾮诉讼案件，为当事⼈起草法律⽂书和解答⼀般法律问题。
课⽂中bar指律师。Bar的意思最初是指法庭上那些⽤来隔离普通观众区与法官、律师、当事⼈及法庭官员保留区的栅栏，现转⽤来指“律师界”，是律师的总称。它与the bench（法官）相对应。
Contract Law
Basic structure
Warm-up activity
Essential terms 术语
Putting the terms to use术语运⽤
What is contract 什么是合同
Forms of Contracts合同形式
Clauses of Contracts合同条款
Principles of the Contract Law合同法原则How is a contract formed? 合同的缔结
Warm-up: discussion
Work with your partner and list at least 3 exchanges covered by contracts, such as the sale of a house.
Buying a car; leasing a car; an employment contract; taking a vacation (the contract between you and the hotel or travel agent); obtaining a credit card.
What common elements do such exchanges have?
Two or more parties
Offer
acceptance
Essential terms 重要术语
Offer 要约：作为或不作为的许诺
Offeror 要约⼈：提出商品或服务要约的⾃然⼈或公司（卖⽅）
Offeree受要约⼈：接受要约的⾃然⼈或公司（买⽅）
Acceptance承诺：对要约条款和条件的接受
Putting the terms to use（术语的运⽤）Read the following contract form---a bill of sale for automobiles
BILL OF SALE
Dated:
_____, referred to as “SELLER”, sells, bargains and conveys all of SELLER?S rights, title and interest in:
Make:______
Model:_____
Style of the vehicle:____
Year of vehicle:_____ Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):____
to _____, referred to as “BUYER”, his heirs and assigns.
…
The parties agree to the terms and conditions stated herein:
_____, SELLER (signature)