Vocabuilder:TheLegalSystem

VOCABLIST:PeopleintheCourt

suspect(n.)thepersonwhothepolicethinkisguilty
suspect(v.)tothinkorhaveastrongfeelingthatsomeoneisguilty
Jasonisthemainsuspectinthepolicesmurderinvestigation.
ThepolicesuspectJasonisthepersonwhomurderedthewoman.

lawyer(AmE=attorney;BrE=solicitor)apersonwhostudiesthelawandarguesincourt
IneedtogetagoodlawyerbecauseIamthemainsuspectinthepolicescriminal
investigation.Hopefully,mylawyercankeepmeoutofjail.

prosecutorthelawyerwhoworksforthegovernmentandarguesforthepeople
defenseattorneythelawyerwhoworksforthedefendant

defendant(also:accused)whensuspectsareincourt,theyarecalleddefendantsorthe
accused
Thedefenseattorneyarguedthatthedefendantwasinnocent,buttheprosecutor
arguedthatthedefendantwasguilty.

judge(BrE=magistrate)thepersonincourtwhomakesthedecisions
Thejudgeruledthatthedefendantwasguiltyandshouldgotojail.

jurythegroupofpeople(usually12people)whodecideifadefendantisguiltyorinnocent
Thejuryfoundthatthedefendantwasguilty,andhewassentencedto20yearsinprison.

witnessapersonwhoseesacrimehappen,orapersonwhohasinformationthatcanbe
usedincourt
ThewitnesssaidthathesawJasonmurderthewoman.

criminalapersonwhohasbrokenthelaw
Itisaprosecutorsjobtotrytosendcriminalstojail.Itisadefenseattorneysjobtorepresent
anddefendcriminals.

victimapersonwhoishurtorkilledbysomeone/somethingelse
Theprosecutorarguedthatthedefendantmurderedthevictimformoney.
Vocabuilder:TheLegalSystem

VOCABREVIEW:PeopleintheCourt

Fillintheblankswiththecorrectwordfromthelistonthepreviouspage.

Themain__________inthemurderof21yearoldJennyPageappearedin
courttoday.HisnameisJasonBlack,andstandingnexttohimwashis__________
__________,whoarguedthatMr.Blackwasnotguiltybecausehewasatworkwhen
the__________waskilled.However,accordingtothe__________,thereareno
__________whocantestifythattheysawMr.Blackatwork.Therefore,the
prosecutorarguesthatMr.Blackisguiltyandheisadangerous__________who
shouldbesenttoprison.The12peopleonthe_______havelistenedtothetwo
lawyersargumentsandconsideredtheevidence,andtheyhaveheardthe
instructionsfromthe__________.Now,theymustgodeliberateanddecideifJason
Blackisguiltyorinnocent.

AdditionalVocabulary:

court(n.)theplacewherelawyersargueandjudgesorajurymakedecisions
Mylawyertoldmetoarriveatcourtat9:00tomorrowmorning.

guilty(adj.)responsiblefordoingsomethingwrong
innocent(adj)notresponsiblefordoingsomethingwrong
Thejurymustdecidewhetherthedefendantisguiltyorinnocent.

testify(v.)whenawitnessesprovidesinformationinacourt
Thewitnesstestifiedthatshesawthedefendantatthevictimshouseonthenightofthe
murder.

prison(n.)aplaceforcriminalswhoarefoundguilty
Afterthejuryfoundhimguilty,thecriminalwenttoprisonfor5years.

evidence(n.)proof;informationthatshowsthetruthaboutwhathappened
Thejurydecidedthatthedefendantwasnotguiltybecausetherewasnotenough
evidence.

deliberate(v.)whenajurydiscussestheevidenceandtriestoreachadecision
Thejuryhadtodeliberateforthreedaysbeforetheywerefinallyabletoagreethatthe
defendantwasguilty.