German Law Words

right

contract

rule

police

court

procedure

process

disposal

documentary

law

be subject to

constitution

forbid

claim

convict

damage

protect

judge

negotiation

regulation

judgment

legal

jurisprudence

arrest

defend

resolution

prison

document

defender

defense

legal

allow

public prosecutor

punishment

witness

indictment

evidence

approval

guilt

regulation

formal objection

local court

defendant

residence permit

lawsuit

public prosecutor's office

power of attorney

to sue

acquittal

fine

case law

statute

conviction

administrative court

to charge

to punish

deportation

asylum application

building application

building permit

certification

probation

naturalization

juror

plaintiff

section

statutory ordinance

criminal proceedings

innocence

to acquit

to sue

defendant

schedule of fees

jurisdiction

court of justice

legal code

land register

law firm

damages

summons

settlement; agreement; consensus

custodial sentence

citizenship

fine; administrative penalty

fine notice

administrative offence

breach of duty

legal remedy

administrative act

access to files

extradition

jurisdiction (venue)

insolvency administrator

social court

penal order

penal enforcement

witness statement; testimony

civil law

to admit; to concede; to acknowledge

to release; to set free

action for annulment

the accused; suspect (before formal charge)

probation; parole

fine proceedings

civil service law

disciplinary proceedings

custodial sentence; prison term

self-defence; justified defence

legal aid

legal claim; entitlement under law

extract from a register

expert witness; expert consultant

maintenance law

pre-trial detention; remand in custody

questioning; hearing (of a witness or suspect)

objection procedure

reparation; making amends; restitution

to imprison; to detain; to take into custody

to acquit someone

lockout

piece of evidence; exhibit

principle of equality

key witness; crown witness

victim protection; support for crime victims

right of petition

legal remedy instruction

amendment of statutes

Criminal Code; penal code

level of punishment; severity of sentence

criminal prosecution; law enforcement

criminal defence lawyer

trust company

formal warning; caution

prior conviction; previous criminal record

duty to testify

court-appointed defence lawyer

verdict of guilty; conviction

guilty

legal advice; legal counselling

innocent, not guilty

hearing; right to be heard (before a decision is made)

allowance; state subsidy; (law) aiding and abetting

suspended sentence; sentence with probation

criminal investigation; pre-trial inquiry

prison sentence; custodial sentence

court proceedings, legal proceedings

regional court, district court

legal recourse; path through the courts

expert witness; court-appointed or party-appointed expert

judicial, by court order

under criminal law, criminally

negligence, carelessness

certificate of good conduct, criminal background check

court order; court resolution (a form of court decision)

court judgment, court ruling

main trial, principal hearing

circumstantial evidence, clue

correctional facility; prison (official term)

notary fees; costs charged by a notary

legal remedy; avenue of appeal or redress

rule of law; constitutionality of the state

constituent elements of an offence, facts of a case

proportionality; principle of proportionality in law

intent, wilful act

examination of a witness; witness questioning

to exculpate, to relieve of blame

under civil law, civilly

formal warning letter (demanding cessation of unlawful conduct)

official duty; duty of care owed by a public official

charge, count (in an indictment)

bill of indictment; formal charge sheet

seizure, confiscation

discretionary latitude; margin of administrative discretion

financial condition (payment imposed as part of a court ruling or settlement)

restriction of a fundamental right

release from custody, discharge from prison

court-appointed defence (mandatory assignment of a defence lawyer)

closing argument, plea

private criminal complaint

criminal division, criminal chamber

presumption of innocence

action before an administrative court; administrative lawsuit

enforcement, execution of a judgment

to justify; to vindicate

burden of proof

discretion (administrative or judicial)

duty of confidentiality; professional secrecy obligation

to seize; to confiscate

to testify; to bear witness

legal custodian (for adults lacking capacity)

certificate of inheritance; probate certificate

deprivation of liberty

mitigation of sentence; reduction of penalty

criminal record register

limitation period; statute of limitations

to become time-barred; to be subject to a statute of limitations

to enforce; to execute (a judgment or sentence)

to bring before the court; to produce a defendant

refusal to testify; right to remain silent

taking of evidence; evidence gathering

statement made by the accused; defendant's account

objection; formal protest against a legal order

expropriation; compulsory acquisition

investigation file; case file

forensic pathologist; forensic physician

statutory share; compulsory portion of an estate

litigation costs; court costs

legal counsel; legal adviser

unlawfulness; illegality (as an element of an offence)

damages claim; suit for compensation

mediation procedure; conciliation process

lay judge; juror (in German criminal courts)

preventive detention; indefinite secure confinement

suspension of sentence; probationary release

enforcement of a criminal sentence

value of the dispute; amount in controversy

criminal charge; allegation of an offence

injunction suit; action for a cease-and-desist order

written reasoning of a court judgment

discontinuation of proceedings

statute of limitations; prescription (of a criminal offence)

to testify; to make a statement (in court or to police)

to notarise; to officially certify in writing

to search (premises or a person); to carry out a search

to lodge an objection; to raise an opposition

acquitted; found not guilty

to prosecute criminally

prosecuting authority

representative of the prosecution

obligation to testify; duty to give evidence

appellate court; court of appeal

suspect; person under investigation but not yet charged

notarisation; official certification of a deed

Federal Court of Justice (Germany's highest court for civil and criminal law)

settlement agreement; consent decree

interim injunction; urgent provisional court order pending full proceedings

court fee; statutory charge for judicial proceedings

court-commissioned expert report

courtroom

trade regulation law; commercial licensing law

customary law

land register entry

filing of a lawsuit; bringing of an action

defence submission; statement of defence

probate court

garnishment order; court order to seize assets

rule-of-law principle

eviction action; legal proceedings to compel a tenant to vacate premises

expert opinion; report commissioned from a qualified expert by a court or authority

arbitral award; arbitration decision

social law; body of law governing social-security rights

community service hour

aggravation of sentence; increased penalty

conciliation procedure; settlement proceedings

record of interrogation; interview transcript

enforcement order; writ of execution (in debt recovery)

execution of a sentence; penal enforcement

penal institution; correctional facility

deadline for filing an objection against an official decision

witness protection programme

right to refuse to give evidence

to formally question; to take a statement from

to plead; to argue a case; to make a closing argument

to accuse; to blame

complaint offence; crime prosecuted only on victim's request

conveyance (formal agreement to transfer land ownership)

building regulations law; land-use planning law

court of appeal; appellate court reviewing both facts and law

law on legal custodianship of adults

estate settlement; division of an inherited estate among heirs

misuse of discretion; abuse of administrative discretion

investigating judge

reservation of law; statutory-authority requirement

application for an arrest warrant

legal standing; right to sue

time limit for bringing a legal action

cost-assessment order (court decision fixing reimbursable costs)

law of preventive measures

mediation process; structured negotiation facilitated by a neutral third party

qualifying feature of murder

accessory prosecutor; private co-plaintiff in criminal proceedings

usufruct; right to use and enjoy another's property

hierarchy of legal norms

judicial review of norms; constitutional review of legislation

notary fee

ex-officio principle (state prosecutes crimes without victim complaint)

ratification; formal legislative approval of an international treaty

appellant; party filing an appeal

court of revision; appellate court reviewing only legal errors, not facts

court of revision; highest appeal court reviewing only points of law

arbitration proceedings; dispute resolution before a private tribunal

principle of personal culpability; guilt principle

criminal file; case file in penal proceedings

reading and opening of a will (by the probate court)

victim-offender mediation

examining magistrate; investigative judge

signatory; person or party who signs a document, treaty, or agreement

procedural error; defect in the official process leading to a decision

arrest record

principle of proportionality; state action must be proportionate to its aim

administrative court system; administrative judiciary

refusal to testify; assertion of right to silence as a witness

obligation to hear a party before deciding

implementing legislation; domestic law enacting an international treaty or EU directive

question of interpretation; legal question about the meaning of a statute or contract

legal finality of an administrative decision; binding force once the appeal period expires

reversal of the burden of proof

binding effect; legal force of a judgment or decision on subsequent proceedings

discretionary decision; official decision made within a margin of permitted choice

inter-organ dispute procedure; constitutional court proceedings between state bodies

application for legal aid; request for state-funded assistance with court costs

waiver of legal remedy; agreement not to appeal a court decision

legal succession; transfer of rights and obligations from one entity to another

leave to appeal on points of law; court permission to proceed to revision

acknowledgement of debt; formal admission that a sum is owed

criminal law reform

subsidiarity principle; decisions should be made at the lowest effective level of government

grant of power of attorney; act of authorising a representative

judgment debtor; party against whom enforcement is carried out

objection committee; panel that reviews administrative appeals within an authority

witness protection

certificate of service; document proving that an official notice was formally delivered