Law, Crime & Justice — C1 Essential Words

legislation /ˌledʒɪsˈleɪʃən/ noun C1 Law

Meaning: Laws that are being made or have been made by a government.

Example: New legislation protects renters from sudden price rises.

Another example: The legislation passed last spring.

Collocations: new legislation · pass legislation · legislation on

Synonyms: laws, statutes, acts

Word family: legislate (v) · legislative (adj) · legislature (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Legislation is uncountable — you say 'a piece of legislation', never 'a legislation'.

🗣 In spoken American English: News shorthand: 'the bill' before it passes; 'legislation' after it becomes law.

Register: Formal — legal and news core.

defendant /dɪˈfendənt/ noun C1 Law

Meaning: The person in a court case who is accused of a crime or being sued.

Example: The defendant told the jury his story.

Another example: The defendant's lawyer spoke first.

Collocations: the defendant · defendant in · defendant's lawyer

Synonyms: accused, respondent (civil)

Antonyms: prosecutor, plaintiff

Word family: defendants (n pl) · defend (v) · defense (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Defendant is accused — guilt is not proven. In civil cases the other side is the plaintiff; in criminal cases, the prosecution.

🗣 In spoken American English: Court reports repeat one line: 'The defendant pleaded not guilty.'

Register: Formal — court reporting essential.

jury /ˈdʒʊəri/ noun C1 Law

Meaning: A group of ordinary citizens chosen to listen to a court case and decide if the accused is guilty.

Example: The jury reached a verdict in two hours.

Another example: She served on a jury last year.

Collocations: jury duty · the jury decided · a jury of twelve

Synonyms: panel, jurors

Word family: juror (n — one member) · juries (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: One member is a JUROR. American jury service is a civic duty — adults get summoned by mail.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'The jury is still out' is also everyday speech for 'we don't know yet'.

Register: Neutral to formal — legal system core.

verdict /ˈvɜːrdɪkt/ noun C1 Law

Meaning: The decision of a jury or judge about whether someone is guilty; by extension, any final judgment.

Example: The verdict shocked the whole country.

Another example: Critics gave the film a mixed verdict.

Collocations: reach a verdict · guilty verdict · the verdict is

Synonyms: decision, judgment, ruling

Word family: verdicts (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Verdicts are REACHED or DELIVERED/RETURNED; the pattern guilty/not guilty is fixed.

🗣 In spoken American English: Outside court it's any final opinion: 'My verdict? Best pizza in Denver.'

Register: Formal — court and criticism.

trial /ˈtraɪəl/ noun C1 Law

Meaning: The formal process of examining a case in court to decide guilt; also a test of something new.

Example: The trial lasted three weeks.

Another example: The app offers a free 30-day trial.

Collocations: on trial · trial by jury · free trial

Synonyms: hearing, case, test

Word family: trials (n pl) · try (v)

⚠ Common mistake: A person is ON trial; software has a free trial; experiments are trials too. Same word, three worlds.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Trial and error' is the learning idiom everyone quotes.

Register: Neutral — law, tech, science.

suspect /ˈsʌspekt/ (noun) noun / verb C1 Law

Meaning: A person believed to have committed a crime; to believe something is true or that someone did something wrong.

Example: Police arrested the main suspect.

Another example: I suspect the report is wrong.

Collocations: main suspect · suspect in · suspect that

Synonyms: accused (before charge), do suspect

Word family: suspicion (n) · suspicious (adj) · suspects (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Noun stress SUS-pect; verb sus-PECT. Police name suspects before any charge — innocent until proven guilty still applies.

🗣 In spoken American English: Crime news formula: 'a suspect is in custody' — arrested but not convicted.

Register: Neutral to formal — news essential.

sentence /ˈsentəns/ noun / verb C1 Law

Meaning: In law: the punishment a judge gives a criminal. In language: a group of words that forms a complete statement.

Example: The judge gave him a ten-year sentence.

Another example: Every sentence in the essay was clear.

Collocations: prison sentence · serve a sentence · sentence to

Synonyms: punishment, penalty, term

Word family: sentences (n pl) · sentencing (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Two famous meanings: grammar's sentence and the court's. Criminals SERVE sentences; judges HAND DOWN sentences.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Life sentence' is the maximum in most states; 'death sentence' exists in some.

Register: Neutral — law and language both.

appeal /əˈpiːl/ noun / verb C1 Law

Meaning: A formal request to a higher court to change a decision; also a public request for help, or attraction.

Example: Her lawyers filed an appeal against the verdict.

Another example: The charity's appeal raised a million dollars.

Collocations: file an appeal · appeal against · appeal to

Synonyms: request, plea, attraction

Word family: appeals (n pl) · appealing (adj) · appellate (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Three lives: court appeal, charity appeal (request), and appeal as attraction ('the idea appeals to me').

🗣 In spoken American English: Verdicts aren't always final: 'The defense will appeal' is the automatic next headline.

Register: Formal — law essential, charity common.

justice /ˈdʒʌstɪs/ noun C1 Law

Meaning: Fairness in the way people are treated and in how laws are applied; the legal system itself.

Example: The family finally got justice after ten years.

Another example: Justice delayed is justice denied.

Collocations: get justice · justice system · social justice

Synonyms: fairness, equity, right

Antonyms: injustice, unfairness

Word family: just (adj) · justify (v) · Justice (title for a judge)

⚠ Common mistake: Justice is uncountable as fairness. Capital-J Justice names a Supreme Court judge (Justice Thomas).

🗣 In spoken American English: Protest signs carry it everywhere: 'No justice, no peace.'

Register: Neutral to formal — civics core.

arrest /əˈrest/ verb / noun C1 Law

Meaning: To take someone to a police station because they are believed to have committed a crime; the act of doing this.

Example: Officers arrested two men near the bank.

Another example: The arrest was filmed by witnesses.

Collocations: under arrest · arrest a suspect · make an arrest

Synonyms: capture, detain, seize

Antonyms: release, free

Word family: arrests (n pl) · arrested (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: You are UNDER arrest once it happens. An arrest is not a conviction — charges and trials come after.

🗣 In spoken American English: The movie line is law itself: 'You are under arrest' begins Miranda rights.

Register: Neutral — news essential.