Some Law-Related Vocabulary
for your next poem/story (pt. 4/4)
Ambulatory - capable of being altered
Attainder - the termination of the civil rights of a person upon a sentence of death or outlawry for treason or a felony
Bestiality - the crime of engaging in sexual relations with an animal
Blasphemy - the crime of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or a religion and its doctrines and writings and especially God as perceived by Christianity and Christian doctrines and writings
Brownfield - a tract of land that has been developed for industrial purposes, polluted, and then abandoned
Clemency - willingness or ability to moderate the severity of a punishment (as a sentence); an act or instance of mercy, compassion, or forgiveness
Cold blood - a state of mind marked by premeditation and deliberateness—usually used in the phrase in cold blood
Concubinage - the relationship between persons who are cohabiting without the benefit of marriage
Days of grace - period of time beyond a scheduled date during which a required action (as payment of an obligation) may be taken without incurring the ordinarily resulting adverse consequences (as penalty or cancellation); also called "grace period"
Donation mortis causa - a donation that is to take effect on the donor's death and that is revocable
Ex maleficio - arising from wrongdoing; created by law in response to a wrongdoing
Exonerate - to relieve especially of a charge, obligation, or hardship; to clear from accusation or blame
Express malice - the knowledge that defamatory statements especially regarding a public figure are false
Extreme cruelty - behavior toward a spouse that involves physical violence or threats thereof, acts calculated to destroy the peace of mind or health of the spouse, or acts destructive of the purpose of the marriage
Floodgate - something serving to restrain an outburst (as of litigation)—usually used in pl.
Flotsam - floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo
Flying squad - a usually small standby group of people ready to move or act quickly; especially: a police unit formed to respond quickly in an emergency; called also "flying squadron"
Fourth degree - a grade given to less serious forms of crimes
Freedom of the seas - the right of a merchant ship to travel any waters except territorial waters either in peace or war
Golden parachute - an agreement providing for generous compensation to an executive upon dismissal
Great bodily injury - physical injury suffered by the victim of a violent crime that causes a substantial risk of death, extended loss or impairment of a body part or function, or permanent disfigurement; physical injury that is more serious than that ordinarily suffered in a battery
Indemnify - to secure against hurt, loss, or damage
Messuage - a dwelling house with the adjacent buildings and curtilage and other adjoining lands used in connection with the household
Moiety - half of something
Moot - deprived of practical significance; made abstract or purely academic
Next friend - a person appearing in or appointed by a court to act on behalf of a person (as a child) lacking legal capacity
Nunc pro tunc - now for then—used in reference to a judicial or procedural act that corrects an omission in the record, has effect as of an earlier date, or takes place after a deadline has expired
Primogeniture - the state of being the firstborn of the children of the same parents; exclusive right of inheritance
Prurient - marked by or arousing an unwholesome sexual interest or desire
Putative - thought, assumed, or alleged to be such or to exist
Sedition - the crime of creating a revolt, disturbance, or violence against lawful civil authority with the intent to cause its overthrow or destruction
Seriatim - in a series; individually in a sequence
Strictissimi juris - according to the strictest interpretation of the law
Wrongful death - a death caused by the negligent, willful, or wrongful act, neglect, omission, or default of another
Wrongful life - a malpractice claim brought by or on behalf of a child born with a birth defect alleging that he or she would never have been born if not for the negligent advice or treatment provided to the parents by a physician or health-care provider (Note: Wrongful life claims have usually been rejected by the courts. The injury is not the birth defect, but the life itself, and courts are reluctant to declare life an injury. A specific calculation of damages for wrongful life would entail affixing a monetary value to the difference between life in an impaired state and nonexistence. There is no legally established right not to be born.)
If any of these words make their way into your next poem/story, please tag me, or leave a link in the replies. I would love to read them!
More: Law-Related Words ⚜ Word Lists
