Important legal words/phrases

Dajanae Dawkins

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Below is a list of words that will boost your law essays and make you stand out on the exam. They are used frequently in the legal realm and will show how sophisticated and equipped you are as a law student.

1. Locus Classicus

-a passage considered to be the most authoritative on a particular subject

2. Quintessential

-representing the perfect example of something (similar to epitome)

3. Seminal

-having strong influence on ideas

4. Paradigmatic

-an intellectual ideology or view which is accepted by a group or people

5. Axiomatic

-a statement very few would argue against

6. Locus Standi

-a right to appear in court and be heard

7. Critical

-being very important or a turning point

8. Ratio Decidendi

-the principle that the case establishes

9. Obiter Dicta

-something said in passing

10. Preponderance *of*

-the standard evidence necessary to win a civil case

11. Avalanche *of*

-a sudden accumulation of something

12. Substantive

-real rather than apparent (substantive evidence ton prove her guilty)

13. Pellucid/Manifest

-very clear and easy to understand

13.Patent

-the granting of a property right by a sovereign authority to an inventor

14. Cogent

-powerfully persuasive

15. Incisive

-impressively direct and decisive

16. *Mens Rea*;

-guilty mind/criminal intent

17.*Actus Reus*

-guilty act

18. Fundamental/Indispensable

-essential/absolutely necessary

19. Punctiliously/Meticulously

-in a way that is very careful/pay attention to details

20. Comprehensive

-covering a large scope

21. Reviewed/analyse

22. Compendious

-briefly giving the gist of something

23.Fortify

-to strengthen and secure

24.Buttress

-anything that supports/reinforces

25.Adumbrated

-to outline

26.Landmark

27.Inter alia

amongst other things

28.Ex abundanti cutell

out of abundance of caution

29.Espoused/apodictic/unquestionable/elucidate/adopt/refined/embraced/espoused

to adopt and embrace (like principles of a case)

Transition words

1. therefore

2. however

3. in any event

4. additionally

5. furthermore

6. In summary /in concluding

7. Conversely

8. on the contrary

9. Consequently

10. While

Comparing/contrasting cases

1. applied

2. adopted

3. followed

4. approved/endorsed

Using Statutes

1. By virtue of

2. Pursuant to

3. In accordance with.

4. Subject to

5. In conjunction with