Even if you are not currently in a legal bind, it can be a benefit for you to know some legal vocabulary. Knowing some legal terms can help you be more knowledgeable of the world and current events, including those cases which could effect the nation currently being heard in the Supreme Court. There are many sources people can use to expand their legal vocabulary, including law dictionary online free and blogs offering law definitions. The following are a selection of legal terms that can help you expand your legal vocabulary.

1. Testify

Testify is a verb that means to make a statement under oath. This statement or testimony can be given at trial, during a deposition or in an affidavit which is a written statement made under oath. Lying while under oath is called perjury and carries serious consequences.

2. Damages

Damages refers to an amount of money that a person recovers from a law suit. Damages vary depending on the type of suit and can be related to direct economic losses or other factors. Damages can cover things like lost wages or profits, legal fees, less tangible damages like pain and suffering can also be awarded.

3. Plaintiff 4. Defendant

These two pieces of legal vocabulary go hand in hand so they are listed together. In a law suit the defendant is the person defending themselves. Although it is possible for a defendant to counter sue the plaintiff, most commonly the Defendant is simply the person being accused of wrong doing. The plaintiff is the person or entity who brings a law suit, a legal glossary can also refer to this party as a claimant.

5. Liability

Liability is a legal vocabulary term essentially meaning responsibility. Another way to think of it, is that the purpose of most law suits is to prove that one party is liable for the damages inflicted on another.