Glossary
This glossary provides clear definitions of legal terms and phrases encountered throughout the encyclopedia. It covers Latin maxims, technical legal vocabulary, and concepts from multiple legal systems. Each entry includes cross-references to related articles for further exploration.
Chinese Legal Terms A-D with Pinyin and Definitions
This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from A through D, organized alphabetically by pinyin. A Anquan (安全) — Security; safety. A foundational concept in Chinese …
Chinese Legal Terms E-K with Pinyin and Definitions
This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from E through K, organized alphabetically by pinyin. E Ertong (儿童) — Child; children. The protection of children’s …
Chinese Legal Terms L-P with Pinyin and Definitions
This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from L through P, organized alphabetically by pinyin. L Laodong (劳动) — Labor; work. The constitutional right and duty of …
Chinese Legal Terms Q-Z with Pinyin and Definitions
This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from Q through Z, organized alphabetically by pinyin. Q Qiangzhi (强制) — Compulsory; mandatory; forced. Used in legal terms …
Civil Procedure Glossary
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key terms used in civil procedure in England and Wales under the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). Key Terms CPR — the Civil Procedure Rules, the …
Civil Procedure Terms in Brazilian Law
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Brazilian civil procedure, primarily under the Civil Procedure Code of 2015 (CPC/2015). The CPC/2015 modernized Brazilian procedural law, introducing …
Common Law Glossary of Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key terms used in the English common law system, focusing on the doctrine of precedent and related concepts. Understanding these terms is essential …
Contract Terms in Brazilian Law
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Brazilian contract law, particularly those introduced or developed by the Civil Code of 2002. These concepts reflect the Code’s commitment to …
Criminal Law Glossary
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key terms used in criminal law and procedure in England and Wales. Key Terms Indictment — the formal document containing the charges against a …
Criminal Law Terms in Brazilian Law
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Brazilian criminal law and procedure. These concepts are essential for understanding the Penal Code of 1940, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the …
EU Legal Terms A-D
A Acquis — See Acquis communautaire. The accumulated body of EU law, including treaties, legislation, case law, international agreements, and general principles that all Member States must accept and …
EU Legal Terms E-H
E European Court of Justice (ECJ) — The highest court of the European Union, formally the Court of Justice within the CJEU. It hears appeals from the General Court, delivers preliminary rulings under …
EU Legal Terms I-L
I Institutionelle Balance — Institutional balance, the constitutional principle governing the distribution of powers among the EU institutions. Each institution must act within the limits of the …
EU Legal Terms M-Z
M Mutual Recognition — The principle established in Cassis de Dijon (1979) requiring Member States to allow goods and services lawfully produced in another Member State to circulate freely within …
French Legal Terms A-F
This glossary defines essential French legal terms from A through F, providing English translations and contextual explanations for their use in the French legal system. Each entry includes a …
French Legal Terms G-Z
This glossary defines essential French legal terms from G through Z, providing English translations and contextual explanations for their use in the French legal system. H Hiérarchie des normes — …
French Legal Terms H-L
H Habile à agir — Having legal capacity to bring or defend proceedings in court. A person must have the legal capacity (capacité) to exercise procedural rights; minors and protected adults act through …
French Legal Terms M-P
M Mandat d’arrêt — Arrest warrant issued by a juge d’instruction or criminal court ordering law enforcement to apprehend a person and bring them before the issuing authority. French law …
French Legal Terms Q-T
Q Quasi-contrat — Quasi-contract. A lawful act creating obligations without an actual agreement, governed by Articles 1300-1303 of the Civil Code. The principal quasi-contracts are gestion …
French Legal Terms U-Z
U Union européenne — European Union. The supranational organization of 27 European Member States to which France has transferred certain sovereign competences under Title XV of the Constitution. EU …
German Legal Terms A-D
A Abstraktionsprinzip — The abstract principle separating the obligatory contract from the real agreement effecting a transfer of property. The validity of the conveyance is independent of the …
German Legal Terms E-H
E Eigentum — Ownership, the most comprehensive right over a thing under German property law, governed by sections 903–1011 BGB. The owner may deal with the thing at their discretion and exclude others …
German Legal Terms I-L
I Immission — Nuisance or emission, the discharge of substances or effects (noise, odours, fumes, vibrations) onto neighbouring property, governed by the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) and …
German Legal Terms M-Z
M Menschenwürde — Human dignity, the supreme constitutional value of the Grundgesetz, protected absolutely by Article 1 GG and the eternity clause. Human dignity may not be balanced against competing …
Glossary of Australian Administrative Law Terms
Introduction Australian administrative law comprises the body of legal principles and institutions that govern the exercise of public power, providing mechanisms for the review of government decisions …
Glossary of Australian Commercial and Corporate Law Terms
Introduction Australian commercial and corporate law is primarily governed by a single national statute, the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), together with the Australian Securities and Investments …
Glossary of Australian Constitutional Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Australian constitutional law, the foundational legal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth Constitution (formally the …
Glossary of Australian Court System Terms
Introduction The Australian court system comprises a hierarchy of federal and state courts, each exercising jurisdiction defined by the Constitution and legislation. The system reflects the federal …
Glossary of Australian Criminal Law Terms
Introduction Australian criminal law operates within a federal structure, with each state and territory maintaining its own criminal justice system. The law is divided between common law crimes …
Glossary of Australian Tort Law Terms
Introduction The law of torts in Australia comprises a body of common law principles and statutory modifications that govern civil wrongs. Following the Ipp Report (2002) and the subsequent enactment …
Glossary of Canadian Civil Procedure Terms
Statement of Claim A statement of claim is the originating process that commences a civil action in the superior court of a province. It is a document filed by the plaintiff that sets out the material …
Glossary of Canadian Constitutional Law Terms
A Amending Formula — The procedure for amending the Constitution of Canada, codified in ss. 38–49 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Canada employs five amending formulas: the general formula (s. 38 — the …
Glossary of Canadian Contract Law Terms
Offer An offer is a clear, unequivocal statement of willingness to enter into a contract on specified terms, made with the intention that it will become binding upon acceptance without further …
Glossary of Canadian Criminal Law Terms
A Absolute Liability — A category of regulatory offence in which the Crown is not required to prove mens rea and the accused has no defence of due diligence or reasonable mistake of fact. Absolute …
Glossary of Canadian Property Law Terms
Fee Simple Fee simple is the largest estate in land recognised by Canadian common law, conferring upon the holder the fullest bundle of rights of ownership: the right to possess, use, enjoy, lease, …
Glossary of Canadian Tort Law Terms
Negligence Negligence is the dominant civil cause of action in Canadian tort law. A plaintiff must establish, on a balance of probabilities: (1) that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care; …
Glossary of Civil Procedure Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key civil procedure terms in South African law. The terminology reflects the English common law origins of South African procedural law, with the …
Glossary of Civil Procedure Terms — Nigeria
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Nigerian civil procedure, governed by the High Court Civil Procedure Rules of each state and the Federal High Court, as well as the Sheriffs and Civil …
Glossary of Constitutional Law Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key constitutional law terms used in South African legal practice. These terms are essential for understanding constitutional litigation, the Bill of …
Glossary of Constitutional Law Terms — Nigeria
Introduction This glossary provides definitions and explanations of key terms in Nigerian constitutional law. Understanding these terms is essential for navigating the constitutional framework of the …
Glossary of Contract Law Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key contract law terms in South African law. The terminology reflects the Roman-Dutch origins of South African contract law, with significant English …
Glossary of Contract Law Terms — Nigeria
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Nigerian contract law, which is grounded in English common law as received into Nigerian jurisprudence. The definitions reflect the interpretation and …
Glossary of Criminal Law Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key criminal law and procedure terms in South African law. The terminology reflects the common law foundations of criminal law, with significant …
Glossary of Criminal Law Terms — Nigeria
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Nigerian criminal law and procedure, governed by the Criminal Code (southern states), the Penal Code (northern states), and the Administration of …
Glossary of Customary Law Terms — Nigeria
Introduction This glossary defines key terms relating to customary law (native law and custom) as recognized and applied in the Nigerian legal system. Customary law governs personal status, family …
Glossary of Delict Law Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key delictual terms in South African law. The terminology reflects the Roman-Dutch origins of the law of delict, with the Aquilian action, actio …
Glossary of EU Legal Terms (A-Z)
This glossary defines key legal terms and concepts in European Union law, providing concise explanations for students, practitioners, and anyone seeking to understand the EU legal system. A Acquis …
Glossary of Japanese Civil Code Terms
Introduction The Japanese Civil Code (Minpō, 1896–1898) is the foundational private law instrument, organised on the German Pandectist model. Its vocabulary reflects a blend of imported European …
Glossary of Japanese Constitutional Law Terms
Introduction Japanese constitutional law draws on a distinctive vocabulary rooted in Sino-Japanese compounds. The glossary below defines the core terms necessary for navigating the Constitution of …
Glossary of Japanese Corporate and Commercial Law Terms
Introduction Japanese corporate and commercial law underwent a fundamental transformation with the enactment of the Companies Act (Kaisha Hō, Act No. 86 of 2005), which consolidated and modernised the …
Glossary of Japanese Court System Terms
Introduction Japan’s court system is unified under the Supreme Court and structured in a three-tier hierarchy. The Court Act (Saibansho Hō, 1947) and related legislation establish the …
Glossary of Japanese Criminal Law Terms
Introduction Japanese criminal law draws on a vocabulary that is largely codified in the Penal Code (Keihō, 1907) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Keiji Soshō Hō, 1948). The terms below reflect the …
Glossary of Japanese Labour Law Terms
Introduction Japanese labour law is codified in three principal statutes: the Labour Standards Act (Rōdō Kijun Hō, 1947), the Labour Union Act (Rōdō Kumiai Hō, 1949), and the Labour Relations …
Glossary of Mexican Civil Procedure Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Mexican civil procedure, drawn from the Federal Code of Civil Procedure, the Commerce Code, and the National Code of Civil Procedure. These terms are …
Glossary of Mexican Constitutional Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Mexican constitutional law, providing essential vocabulary for understanding the structure, remedies, and procedures of the Mexican legal system. These …
Glossary of Mexican Contract Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Mexican contract law, drawn primarily from the Federal Civil Code and the Commerce Code. These terms are essential for understanding contractual …
Glossary of Mexican Criminal Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Mexican criminal law and criminal procedure, drawn from the National Code of Criminal Procedure (CNPP) and the Federal Criminal Code. These terms are …
Glossary of Mexican Labor Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Mexican labor law, drawn from the Federal Labor Law (LFT) and Article 123 of the Constitution. These terms are essential for understanding individual …
Glossary of Mexican Property Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Mexican property law, reflecting the distinctive features of the Mexican property system, including the constitutional framework of state ownership, …
Glossary of Property Law Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions of key property law terms in South African law. The terminology reflects the Roman-Dutch origins of South African property law, with significant …
Glossary of Property Law Terms — Nigeria
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Nigerian property law, which is governed by the Land Use Act 1978, the Property and Conveyancing Law, the Registration of Titles Act, and customary land …
Glossary of South Korean Civil Procedure Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms used in South Korean civil procedure, governed by the Civil Procedure Code (민사소송법). The terminology reflects the civil law tradition with significant …
Glossary of South Korean Constitutional Terms
Introduction This glossary provides definitions and explanations of key terms used in South Korean constitutional law and practice. Understanding these terms is essential for navigating the …
Glossary of South Korean Contract Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms used in South Korean contract law, which is codified in Part III (Obligations) of the Civil Code (민법). The terminology reflects the German civil law …
Glossary of South Korean Corporate and Commercial Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms used in South Korean corporate and commercial law, governed by the Commercial Act (상법). The terminology draws from German, Japanese, and increasingly …
Glossary of South Korean Criminal Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms used in South Korean criminal law and procedure, which are governed by the Criminal Code (형법) and the Criminal Procedure Code (형사소송법). The terminology …
Glossary of South Korean Property Law Terms
Introduction This glossary defines key terms used in South Korean property law, governed by Part II (Real Rights, Articles 185–372) of the Civil Code (민법). The law adopts the German numerus clausus of …
Glossary of US Legal Terms A-D
A Abatement: The suspension or termination of legal proceedings due to the death of a party, procedural defect, or other event occurring before trial or judgment. In tort law, abatement may also refer …
Glossary of US Legal Terms E-H
E Easement: A legal right to use another person’s land for a specific purpose, such as a right of way. Easements are nonpossessory interests in land, meaning the easement holder does not own the …
Glossary of US Legal Terms I-L
I Impeachment: The process of charging a public official with misconduct, potentially leading to removal from office, or the act of attacking a witness’s credibility. The House of …
Glossary of US Legal Terms M-P
M Magistrate judge: A federal judicial officer who assists district judges with pretrial matters, motions, and other specified duties. Magistrate judges are appointed by district judges and serve …
Glossary of US Legal Terms Q-T
Q Quantum meruit: A Latin term meaning “as much as he deserves,” a quasi-contractual remedy for the reasonable value of services rendered when no express contract exists. Quantum meruit …
Glossary of US Legal Terms U-Z
U Ultra vires: A Latin term meaning “beyond the powers,” referring to acts that exceed legal authority. Ultra vires acts by corporations are void and unenforceable. The doctrine limits the …
Key Chinese Legal Terms with Pinyin and Definitions
This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization and contextual explanations for legal practitioners, scholars, and students working with Chinese law. 法律 (fǎlǜ) — Law. A …
Key Constitutional Terms in Brazilian Law
Introduction This glossary defines key constitutional terms and procedural mechanisms in Brazilian law. These terms are essential for understanding the functioning of the constitutional review system …
Key Russian Legal Terms with Transliteration and Definitions
This glossary defines essential Russian legal terms with transliteration and contextual explanations for their use in the Russian legal system. Each entry includes the Russian term, transliteration, …
Property Law Terms in Brazil
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Brazilian property law. These concepts are essential for understanding the Civil Code of 2002’s regulation of possession, ownership, and real …
Russian Legal Terms: A–D
This glossary defines Russian legal terms from A to D in English transliteration, providing contextual explanations for their use in the Russian legal system. A Administrativnoe Pravo …
Russian Legal Terms: E–K
This glossary defines Russian legal terms from E to K in English transliteration, providing contextual explanations for their use in the Russian legal system. E Edinonachalie (Единоначалие) — Unity of …
Russian Legal Terms: L–P
This glossary defines Russian legal terms from L to P in English transliteration, providing contextual explanations for their use in the Russian legal system. L Litsenzia (Лицензия) — License. A …
Russian Legal Terms: R–Z
This glossary defines Russian legal terms from R to Z in English transliteration, providing contextual explanations for their use in the Russian legal system. R Raschet (Расчет) — Settlement or …
Tort Terms in Brazilian Law
Introduction This glossary defines key terms in Brazilian tort law (responsabilidade civil), governing compensation for damages caused by wrongful conduct or dangerous activities. The Civil Code of …
UK Legal Terms A-D
A Act of Parliament — Primary legislation passed by the Queen in Parliament, consisting of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and Royal Assent. Acts are the highest form of law in the UK and …
UK Legal Terms E-H
E Easement — A right benefiting one landowner over another’s land, such as a right of way or a right to light. Easements may be created expressly, by implication, by prescription (long use), or …
UK Legal Terms I-L
I In Camera — A hearing conducted in private, excluding the press and public, typically for matters involving national security, children, or confidential information. The court may also sit in camera …
UK Legal Terms M-P
M Magistrates’ Court — The lowest criminal court in England and Wales, dealing with summary offences and preliminary hearings for indictable offences. Magistrates may be lay justices …
UK Legal Terms Q-Z
Q Quantum Meruit — A claim for reasonable remuneration for work performed where no contract price has been agreed or where a contract has been discharged. The claimant may recover the reasonable value …