The definitions provided in this glossary are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal definitions. They are simplified explanations intended to help users understand common legal terms in everyday language.
This glossary is not a substitute for legal advice, formal legal definitions or consultation with a qualified legal professional. Legal terms may have different meanings depending on the context, jurisdiction or applicable laws. For official interpretations, please refer to the relevant statutes, legal texts or consult us.
A
Accused – A person who has been charged with a crime.
Acquittal – A legal judgment that officially clears someone of criminal charges.
Affidavit – A written statement made under oath.
Appeal – A request for a higher court to review the decision of a lower court.
Application – A request made to a judge during a case, asking for a decision on a specific issue.
Arbitration – A legally-binding way to settle disputes out of court using a neutral third party.
Asset – Anything valuable owned by a person or business.
B
Bail – A promise that an accused person will come to court when required. If they do not appear, money or property deposited with the court may be forfeited.
Bail Hearing – A court session to decide if an accused person should be released or kept in custody until their trial.
Bail Report – A report about an accused person’s background and community ties, used to help the court decide on fair bail conditions.
Beneficiary – A person who is entitled to receive money or property from a will, trust or insurance.
Bill – A proposed law presented to a legislature.
Bond – A promise made by an accused person, with or without someone backing them up (a surety), to follow bail rules or pay a set amount if they do not.
Breach of Contract – Breaking the terms of a legal agreement.
C
Case Law – Past legal decisions used as examples in future cases.
Civil Law – The area of law dealing with non-criminal matters, such as contracts or personal injury.
Class Action – A type of lawsuit where one or a few people sue on behalf of a much larger group of people who all have similar legal claims against the same defendant.
Contract – A legally binding agreement between two or more parties.
Conviction – When a court finds someone guilty of a crime.
D
Damages – Money awarded to someone who has suffered loss or injury.
Defendant – A person or group being sued or accused in court.
Dispute – A disagreement that may be resolved in court or through other legal methods.
E
Evidence – Information or material used to prove something in court.
Executor – A person named in a will to carry out its instructions.
F
Felony – A serious crime, usually punishable by death or imprisonment for three years or more.
Fraud – Intentional deception for personal gain.
Freehold – Ownership of land or property that is not limited in time.
G
Guardian – Someone legally appointed to care for another person, often a child or a person with mental illness.
H
Hearing – A court session where parties present legal arguments and evidence.
Hearsay – A statement made outside of court that someone else tries to use as evidence.
I
Immunity – Legal protection from being sued or prosecuted.
Injunction – A court order requiring someone to do or stop doing something.
Intellectual Property – Creations of the mind, like inventions, music or logos, that are legally protected.
Interrogatories – Written questions sent by one party to another in a lawsuit to gather facts.
J
Judgment – The official decision made by a court.
Jurisdiction – A court’s power to hear a case and make legal decisions.
L
Lawsuit – A legal case brought to court by one person against another.
Liability – Legal responsibility for something, especially debts or damages.
Lien – A legal right to keep possession of property until a debt is paid.
Limitation of Actions – A law (Limitation of Actions Act, CAP 22) that sets deadlines within which legal claims must be made.
Litigation – The process of resolving a dispute in court.
M
Mediation – A way to settle disputes through a neutral person helping both sides agree.
Minor – A person under the legal age of adulthood, 18 years of age.
Misdemeanour – A less serious crime than a felony.
Mistrial – A trial that is not completed because of an error or issue.
N
Negligence – Failing to act with reasonable care, causing harm to someone.
O
Oath – A solemn promise to tell the truth or do something honestly.
Objection – A formal protest raised in court.
Offer – A proposal to enter into a legal agreement.
P
Paralegal – A trained person who assists advocates but is not admitted as an advocate.
Parole – Early release from prison under certain conditions.
Party – A person or group involved in a legal case.
Perjury – Lying under oath.
Personal Recognisance – When an accused person is released from custody based only on their promise to return to court when needed.
Pretrial Detention – Keeping an accused person in custody while their case is being investigated or decided.
Plaintiff – The person who sues, starting a lawsuit.
Plea – An accused person’s formal response to criminal charges.
Power of Attorney – A legal document giving someone the authority to act on another’s behalf.
R
Real Property – Land and anything permanently attached to it, like a house.
Remand – To send a case back to a lower court.
Remandee – A person being held in prison while waiting for their case to be heard or completed.
Rescind – To cancel a contract or agreement.
Restitution – Repayment for loss or damage caused.
Retainer – A fee paid to an advocate to secure their services.
S
Security – Money or property promised to the court to make sure an accused person comes to court.
Settlement – An agreement between parties to resolve a case without going to trial.
Statute – A law made by a legislative body.
Summons – A notice that someone is being sued and must appear in court.
Surety – Someone who promises that an accused person will follow bail conditions. If the accused person does not, the surety may lose money or property they pledged.
T
Testimony – A statement made under oath by a witness in court.
Tort – A civil wrong that causes harm or loss, leading to legal liability.
Trust – A legal arrangement where one party holds property for the benefit of another.
Trustee – The person in charge of managing a trust.
U
Undue Influence – Improper pressure to force someone into a contract or decision.
Unconstitutional – Something that goes against the country’s constitution.
V
Void – Not legally valid or enforceable.
W
Waiver – Giving up a legal right voluntarily.
Warrant – A legal document allowing police to arrest someone or search property.
Will – A legal document stating how a person’s property should be distributed after death.
Witness – Someone who perceives using their senses or knows something relevant to a legal case and can testify.