Basic Legal Vocabulary
The typography uses a difference in the size of the letters to indicate which syllable of the word is stressed. Illustrative sentences are put in italics.
enact
v. to make into a law.
The legislature enacted the law in 1985.
France is within its rights as a sovereign nation to enact hate speech laws against the distribution of Nazi propaganda in response to its terrible experience with Nazi forces during World War II.
n. enactment
The enactment of a law is usually a complicated process.
enforce
v. ensure observance of laws and rules
The laws banning smoking in public places are rarely enforced in France.
Police officers are more likely to enforce the traffic code against black drivers than white ones.
Although laws against same-sex sodomy were rarely, if ever, enforced, they did have many important collateral effects on gays and lesbians in a variety of areas, including adoption and employment.
law enforcement
the activity of making certain that the laws of an area are obeyed
If you're involved in any aspect of law enforcement - as a patrolman, investigator, chief, or special agent - The U.S. Law Enforcement Conference and Exposition is an event you can't afford to miss.
law enforcement official (or officer) n.
estate
n. everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property)
All the property, real and personal, owned by a person at the time of his/her death.
You are not obliged to leave any assets to your children but if you do not, they may be able to make a claim on the basis that you have not fulfilled your obligations towards them. Apart from that, you may dispose of your estate in whatever way you like.
evidence
n. (uncountable) any proof legally presented at trial through witnesses, records, and/or exhibits. We say a piece of evidence, an item of evidence, NOT evidences. — see proof
In rape cases, DNA is usually the best evidence.
The prosecutor has little evidence of his guilt, so his lawyer is hopeful.