offense n. (UK - offence)

Conduct for which a person may be sentenced to a fine or jail. This is a very broad term and includes felonies, misdemeanors, violations and infractions.

offender n.
a person who transgresses moral or civil law ; a person who does harm to others
  The guidelines give judges a chart, with the length of a sentence determined by the severity of the crime committed and the extent of the offender's criminal history.
  A judge should try to get the attention of the offenders by making the sentence mean something to them.

 

onus of proof n. another way of saying burden of proof

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overrule

v. to decide that a precedent should no longer be controlling law — see overturn

  Truman's Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to overrule Plessy v. Ferguson.

  All of the other courts of the Nation are bound to follow the Supreme Court's precedents on federal questions and cannot overrule them.

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overturn

v. to change the result reached by a lower court, to reverse [opp. affirm] see overrule

  The ruling overturned a lower court decision that the religious reference made the pledge unconstitutional in public schools.

 

own v. to have or hold as property
  They own their own house, but lease their car for tax reasons.

owner n.
  Will the owner of the Ford Fiesta parked in the handicap parking place please remove his car.

ownership n. the state, relation, or fact of being an owner
  Government versus private ownership of public goods is a constant subject of debate among economists.