# Legal English Expert

https://hienglishquiz.com/vocabulary/professional-specialized-c2-law-and-legal-english-vocab

- CEFR: C2 (Proficient)
- Theme: Professional & Specialized
- Words: 22
- Premium: no
- Locked: no

Expert legal English for case law and liability, including estoppel, a prima facie case, mens rea and the vicarious liability at the centre of modern…

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## Word list

* **estoppel**: A legal rule that stops someone from arguing something that contradicts what they previously said or did. — “The doctrine of **estoppel** stopped him from denying the earlier agreement.”
* **culpability** /ˌkʌlpəˈbɪlɪti/: The degree to which someone is responsible or to blame for a wrongful act. — “The report assessed each driver's **culpability** for the crash.”
* **prima facie**: Describes evidence that is strong enough to prove a case unless it is later disproved. — “The photographs gave **prima facie** evidence of the damage.”
* **exculpatory** /ˌɛkˈskʌlpəˌtɔri/: Describes evidence that tends to show someone is not guilty. — “The lawyer presented **exculpatory** evidence in his client's defence.”
* **malfeasance** /ˌmælˈfizəns/: Wrongdoing, especially by a public official or a person in a position of trust. — “The audit uncovered evidence of financial **malfeasance**.”
* **litigious** /lɪˈtɪdʒəs/: Describes someone who is quick to take legal action, or an environment where lawsuits are common. — “The industry has become increasingly **litigious** in recent years.”
* **jurisprudence** /ˌdʒʊrəˈsprudəns/: The theory and philosophy of law, or a body of legal decisions on a subject. — “The professor specialises in constitutional **jurisprudence**.”
* **res judicata**: A legal rule that a case already finally decided cannot be tried again. — “The judge dismissed the second lawsuit under **res judicata**.”
* **recusal** /rɪˈkjuzəl/: When a judge steps aside from a case because of a conflict of interest. — “The judge's **recusal** meant a new judge had to be assigned.”
* **amicus curiae**: A brief filed by someone not part of a case, offering the court relevant expertise. — “Several universities filed an **amicus curiae** brief supporting the appeal.”
* **ultra vires**: Beyond the legal power of the person or body acting. — “The decision was **ultra vires** and had to be taken again properly.”
* **mens rea**: The guilty state of mind needed for a criminal offence. — “Without **mens rea** the prosecution had nothing.”
* **actus reus**: The physical act that makes up a criminal offence. — “Both the **actus reus** and the intention had to be proved.”
* **strict liability**: Responsibility that applies whether or not there was fault. — “Under **strict liability** the intention makes no difference at all.”
* **vicarious liability**: Responsibility for what an employee did in the course of work. — “**Vicarious liability** put the whole claim onto the company.”
* **laches**: The loss of a legal right through unreasonable delay in claiming. — “The defence of **laches** succeeded after eleven years of silence.”
* **subrogation**: An insurer's right to pursue whoever caused the loss. — “**Subrogation** meant the insurer sued in the customer's name.”
* **privity of contract**: The rule that only the parties to a contract can enforce it. — “**Privity of contract** stopped the tenant suing the builder directly.”
* **without recourse**: Transferred with no right to claim back if it goes wrong. — “The debt was sold **without recourse** and the discount showed it.”
* **condition precedent**: Something that must happen before an obligation begins. — “Planning consent was a **condition precedent** to the whole purchase.”
* **liquidated damages**: An amount agreed in advance as compensation for a breach. — “**Liquidated damages** were fifteen hundred pounds a week and enforceable.”
* **de minimis**: Too small for the law to concern itself with. — “The overpayment was **de minimis** and the argument was not.”

## Related

- Vocabulary library: https://hienglishquiz.com/vocabulary
- Section guide: https://hienglishquiz.com/vocabulary/llms.txt