Theft, larceny, burglary and robbery all include an illegal taking, but they are distinguished by the means, methods and victims of the taking. Theft and larceny are synonymous and require only the simple taking of almost anything of value with the intent to keep it….
Persecute means to torment or oppress someone, usually because of their race, religion or political beliefs. Prosecute means to bring charges, usually criminal charges in a court of law. If you have been persecuted for your beliefs, you can prosecute your persecutor under hate-crimes laws….
The term inter alia (meaning “among other things”) is one of the few Latin phrases that is still widely used, both in legal and non-legal writing. When referring to people, the phrase inter alios, which means “among other people”, should be used. inter alia More…
Arbitrators and arbiters are both types of judges but they act in different contexts. An arbitrator judges only in arbitration proceedings. An arbiter has the power to decide in any sort of controversy. An arbitration proceeding is a form of alternative dispute resolution which is…
The judgment of a court is simply the decision of the court on a particular matter or case, but the spelling of judgment is not so simple. In fact spelling it with two “E”s can set off some readers, including professors and judges. judgment default-judgment…
The difference between the terms tax evasion and tax avoidance is a simple one. Tax evasion is escaping payment by illegal means and is usually a criminal offence, whereas tax avoidance is the legal use of the tax system to reduce one’s taxes. tax evasion…
The term “equity” has different meanings, even within the Legal English field. It has a specific meaning within the corporate law context, i.e. value or ownership interest, as well as a somewhat contradictory meaning according to the common law, i.e. fairness. equity equity stake equity…
Immunity and impunity sound alike and both refer to some sort of protection. Impunity, derives from the Latin word meaning “not punishment”, and means protection from the harmful consequences of an action. Immunity is broader and refers to protection from duty, liability and illness, as…
Homicide, murder, and manslaughter all describe killings. Homicide is the umbrella term that includes any sort of killing of human beings, both legal and illegal. Murder is the crime of intentionally killing, whereas manslaughter is the crime of killing committed by a person who did…
The terms damage and damages are often confused. The term damage describes injury or harm to property or a person, while damages means monetary compensation awarded by a court for the harm or injury that has been suffered. damage damages More information on the words…