The Judiciary Vocabulary by Solomon Osuokam Ogbeh

 

1. Adjudicate

   • The judge will adjudicate the case of Emmanuel versus Nneka.

2. Affidavit

   • Nneka submitted an affidavit confirming her alibi.

3. Appeal

   • If Chuka disagrees with the verdict, he can file an appeal.

4. Arbitration

   • The dispute was resolved through arbitration rather than a court trial.

5. Bench

   • The case was heard before a three-member bench in Abuja.

6. Breach

   • The contract breach led to legal proceedings in court.

7. Case Law

   • Case law refers to legal principles established in previous court cases.

8. Circuit Court

   • The case was transferred to the circuit court in Lagos.

9. Claimant

   • The claimant, Olabisi, sought compensation for the damages.

10. Counsel

    • Mr. Adeoye served as legal counsel for the defendant.

11. Cross-examination

    • During cross-examination, the witness's statements were thoroughly scrutinised.

12. Defendant

    • The defendant, Adebayo, was accused of theft.

13. Deliberation

    • The jury's deliberation lasted for several hours.

14. Deposition

    • The lawyer took a deposition from the key witness, Mariam.

15. Evidence

    • Solid evidence was presented to support the plaintiff's claims.

16. Exhibit

    • The photograph was submitted as an exhibit in the trial.

17. Gavel

    • The judge used the gavel to bring order to the courtroom.

18. Hearing

    • The hearing for the divorce case was scheduled for next week.

19. Indictment

    • An indictment was issued against the accused for fraud.

20. Injunction

    • The court granted an injunction to prevent further construction on the land.

21. Jury

    • A jury of twelve people was selected to decide the case.

22. Judge

    • Judge Eze presided over the criminal trial.

23. Lawyer

    • The lawyer prepared a defence strategy for the upcoming trial.

24. Litigation

    • The lengthy litigation process was stressful for both parties involved.

25. Magistrate

    • Magistrate Bamidele handled the minor criminal cases in the district court.

26. Mediation

    • Mediation was used to reach a settlement in the civil dispute.

27. Order

    • The court issued an order for the defendant to pay damages.

28. Plaintiff

    • The plaintiff, Ifeoma, filed a lawsuit for personal injury.

29. Prosecution

    • The prosecution presented its case against the alleged criminal.

30. Quash

    • The appeal court decided to quash the earlier judgement.

31. Record

    • The court record detailed every aspect of the trial proceedings.

32. Remand

    • The accused was remanded in custody until the next hearing.

33. Settlement

    • Both parties agreed on a settlement to avoid a lengthy trial.

34. Subpoena

    • A subpoena was issued to compel the witness to testify.

35. Summons

    • The defendant received a summons to appear in court.

36. Testimony

    • The witness's testimony was crucial to the case.

37. Trial

    • The trial was set to begin in the High Court of Enugu.

38. Verdict

    • The jury reached a guilty verdict in the criminal case.

39. Warrant

    • A search warrant was obtained to investigate the premises.

40. Witness

    • The witness, Oluchi, provided key evidence during the trial.

41. Adversarial

    • The adversarial system pits opposing sides against each other in court.

42. Appeal Court

    • The case was taken to the Appeal Court after the initial verdict.

43. Case Management

    • Case management involves organising and supervising the progress of a legal case.

44. Chambers

    • The judge discussed the case details in his chambers.

45. Contempt

    • The defendant was charged with contempt of court for disrupting proceedings.

46. Custody

    • The child was placed in the custody of the mother following the divorce.

47. Discovery

    • Discovery is the process of exchanging evidence between parties.

48. Docket

    • The docket listed all the cases scheduled for the day's court session.

49. Enforcement

    • The enforcement of the court's decision was handled by the police.

50. Evidence Act

    • The Evidence Act governs the admissibility of evidence in court.

51. Exclusionary Rule

    • The exclusionary rule prevents evidence obtained illegally from being used in court.

52. Habeas Corpus

    • The writ of habeas corpus is used to challenge unlawful detention.

53. Judicial Review

    • Judicial review allows courts to examine the legality of administrative actions.

54. Jurisdiction

    • Jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court to hear and decide cases.

55. Legal Aid

    • Legal aid provides free legal assistance to those who cannot afford it.

56. Litigant

    • Each litigant in the case presented their side of the story.

57. Minority Opinion

    • The minority opinion offered an alternative view on the case.

58. Precedent

    • The court followed a precedent set by an earlier case in its ruling.

59. Procedural Law

    • Procedural law dictates the methods and processes used in legal proceedings.

60. Public Defender

    • A public defender represented the accused in the criminal case.

61. Sanction

    • The court imposed a financial sanction on the company for its violations.

62. Settlement Conference

    • A settlement conference was held to negotiate a resolution outside of court.

63. Statute

    • The statute defines the legal framework and penalties for specific offences.

64. Substantive Law

    • Substantive law deals with the rights and duties of individuals.

65. Trial Court

    • The trial court is where cases are initially heard and judged.

66. Unanimous

    • The verdict was unanimous, with all jury members agreeing.

67. Voir Dire

    • Voir dire is the process of questioning potential jurors to ensure impartiality.

68. Writ

    • A writ is a formal written order issued by a court.

69. Courtroom

    • The courtroom was filled with spectators awaiting the trial.

70. Judicial Independence

    • Judicial independence ensures that judges can make decisions free from external pressures.