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Foundational Concepts in Law

These are the core ideas that form the basis of many legal systems. Understanding them will give you a solid foundation for more specific terms.

• Law: This is the set of rules created by a government or authority that people in a society must follow. If you break a law, there are consequences, such as a fine or imprisonment.

• Case: A case is a legal dispute or problem that is brought to a court of law to be decided. For example, a disagreement between two people over money could become a legal case.

• Court: A court is the official place where legal cases are heard and decided by a judge and, sometimes, a jury.

• Judge: A judge is the public official who is in charge of a court. Their job is to listen to both sides of a case and make a final decision based on the law.

• Plaintiff: In a non-criminal case, the plaintiff is the person or group that starts the legal action against someone else. They are the ones making a complaint.

• Defendant: The defendant is the person or group that is accused of doing something wrong or illegal. They have to defend themselves against the plaintiff's complaint.

Didactic Example: Understanding the Players Imagine a person, Sarah (plaintiff), goes to court because her neighbor, Tom (defendant), built a fence that is on her property. The judge will hear their arguments in the case and decide who is right according to property law.

Essential Contract Terminology

Contracts are a part of life. You encounter them when you get a new job, rent an apartment, or even just agree to the terms and conditions of a website. Knowing these words is crucial.

• Contract (or Agreement): A contract is a legally binding promise or set of promises between two or more parties. This means that if you break the contract, the other party can take legal action against you.

• Party: In a legal context, a "party" is one of the people, companies, or groups involved in a contract or a legal case. For example, in a work contract, the two parties are the employee and the employer.

• Terms and Conditions: These are the specific rules, requirements, and details of a contract. It is very important to read and understand the terms and conditions before you sign anything.

• To Sign: When you sign a document, you write your name on it to show that you agree to what it says. A signature makes a contract legally valid.

• To Breach: To breach a contract means to fail to do something that you promised to do in the agreement. For example, if you agree to pay rent on the first of the month but you don't, you have breached the contract.

• Liability: This is the legal responsibility for something. If you are found to have liability for an accident, it means you are legally responsible for paying for the damage.

Didactic Example: A Rental Contract When you rent an apartment, you (a party) and the landlord (the other party) sign a contract. The terms and conditions might state that you must pay rent on time. If you fail to pay, you breach the contract, and you could have legal liability for the missed payments.

Other Important Legal Words

Here are a few more terms that are useful to know.

• Evidence: Evidence is the information, documents, or objects that are used in a court case to prove that something is true.

• Witness: A witness is a person who saw an event happen (like an accident) and can describe what they saw in court.

• Fine: A fine is an amount of money that you have to pay as a punishment for breaking a rule or a minor law, such as a parking violation.

While this is just a starting point, familiarizing yourself with these basic legal English terms can give you more confidence when dealing with official documents and formal situations.

Want to learn more and see these terms used in context? For more practical English lessons, the videos on Wiki Fudgel are available in understandable English and have subtitles available in various languages, helping you build your vocabulary at your own pace.