Crime & Law

20 words

1. 1

   drop the chargescollocation/drɒp ðə ˈtʃɑːdʒɪz/

   to stop prosecuting someone by withdrawing criminal charges

   “After new evidence came up, the police dropped the charges.”

2. 2

   beyond reasonable doubtcollocation/bɪˈjɒnd ˈriːzənəbəl daʊt/

   a legal standard meaning there is no reasonable doubt about the defendant's guilt

   “In criminal cases, the prosecution must prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

3. 3

   forensic evidencenoun phrase/fəˈrɛnsɪk ˈɛvɪdəns/

   Scientific or technical evidence (like DNA, fingerprints) used in criminal investigations.

   “The lab produced forensic evidence that linked the suspect to the scene.”

4. 4

   testify in courtcollocation/ˈtɛstɪfaɪ ɪn ˈkɔːt/

   to give spoken evidence in court during a trial

   “The key witness was willing to testify in court despite threats.”

5. 5

   cross-examine a witnesscollocation/ˌkrɒs ɪɡˈzæmɪn ə ˈwɪtnəs/

   to question a witness in court, especially in order to challenge or discredit their testimony

   “The defence lawyer will cross-examine the witness tomorrow.”

6. 6

   file an appealcollocation/faɪl ən əˈpiːl/

   to submit a formal request to a higher court to change or review a decision

   “He decided to file an appeal against the verdict.”

7. 7

   capital punishmentnoun phrase/ˈkæpɪtəl ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/

   The legal punishment of death for certain crimes; also called the death penalty.

   “The country abolished capital punishment in 2005.”

8. 8

   search a propertycollocation/sɜːtʃ ə ˈprɒpəti/

   to officially look through a building or area to find evidence

   “Officers were authorised to search the property for stolen goods.”

9. 9

   drug traffickingnoun phrase/drʌɡ ˈtræfɪkɪŋ/

   The illegal production, transport, or sale of drugs, often organised and across borders.

   “He was arrested and charged with drug trafficking.”

10. 10

    plea bargaincollocation/ˈpliː ˌbɑːɡən/

    an agreement in which a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge or receives a lighter sentence

    “The defendant accepted a plea bargain to avoid a long trial.”

11. 11

    white-collar crimenoun phrase/ˌwaɪt ˈkɒl.ər kraɪm/

    Non-violent crimes committed in business or professional settings, such as fraud or embezzlement.

    “Many cases of white-collar crime go unreported for years.”

12. 12

    obtain a warrantcollocation/əbˈteɪn ə ˈwɒrənt/

    to get an official court order allowing police to search or arrest

    “Officers must obtain a warrant before searching private property.”

13. 13

    on paroleprepositional phrase/ɒn pəˈrəʊl/

    Released from prison early under supervision and certain conditions.

    “He was released on parole after serving half his sentence.”

14. 14

    charge someone withcollocation/tʃɑːdʒ ˈsʌmwʌn wɪð/

    to officially accuse a person of committing a crime; typically used when prosecutors or police make formal accusations

    “He was charged with fraud after investigators found the false invoices.”

15. 15

    juvenile delinquencynoun phrase/ˈdʒuːvənəl dɪˈlɪŋkwənsi/

    Illegal or antisocial behaviour by young people, especially minors.

    “Schools run programmes to prevent juvenile delinquency.”

16. 16

    reach a verdictcollocation/riːtʃ ə ˈvɜːdɪkt/

    to come to an official decision in court about whether the defendant is guilty or not

    “After three days of deliberation the jury reached a verdict of not guilty.”

17. 17

    file a lawsuitcollocation/faɪl ə ˈlɔːsjuːt/

    to start a formal civil case against someone in court in order to seek compensation or remedy

    “After the faulty product caused injuries, they decided to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer.”

18. 18

    seek compensationcollocation/siːk ˌkɒmpənˈseɪʃən/

    to ask for money as compensation for loss, injury, or damage, often by legal claim

    “After the accident she decided to seek compensation from the bus company.”

19. 19

    be on trialcollocation/bi ɒn ˈtraɪəl/

    to be undergoing a legal trial in court as the accused

    “The businessman will be on trial next month for fraud.”

20. 20

    breach of contractcollocation/briːtʃ əv ˈkɒntrækt/

    a failure to perform any term of a contract without a legitimate legal excuse

    “The company sued for a breach of contract after the supplier missed delivery dates.”