1. Arraignment
英美刑事诉讼中的一项正式程序。In the district of Arizona, a defendant must agree to plead guilty within fifteen days of arraignment in order to receive a reduction in sentence.
2. By laws 公司内部细则/articles of incorporation 公司成立章程
Articles of association
Idaho law provides that unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provided otherwise, regular meetings of the board of directions may be held without of the date, time and place.
3. Cabinet
The federal cabinet minister is also wary of the Americans’ willingness to trade away basic values in the name of the national security.
4. Chattel
The opposite of chattel is real property which includes lands or buildings.
5. Class action 集团诉讼  /Group litigation
The class action rule is intended to improve court efficiency by allowing a large group of people with similar claims to join together in one lawsuit.
6. Concurrent estates 共有财产
Concurrent estates are those that are either owned or possessed by two or more individuals simultaneously. The three most common types of concurrent estates are joint tenancy, tenancy by the entirety, and tenancy in common.
7. Corporal punishment
In the twentieth century, corporal punishment was either eliminated as a legal penalty or restricted to beating with a birch rod, cane or whip.
8. Discretion
Act at one’s discretion 某人酌情处理
Age of discretion 责任年龄
We need responsible administers who exercise discretion by assessing the context of every situation.
9. Counteroffer
Please note that we have quoted our most favorable price and are unable to entertain any counteroffer.
10. Commission 委员会、授权委托、佣金、手续费、委任状
The client gave her attorney express commission to sign the contract.
Drawee Bank’s charges and acceptance commission are for buyer’s account.
11. Confinement
Confinement facility
We cannot tell that spending time in confinement will make offenders less likely to commit crimes upon release.
12. Court of Chancery 大法官法院、衡平法院
Common law court
The defendants invoke the equitable jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery in an attempt to e released from their obligations.
Chancery最早是文秘署，皇家文秘书记官，签发和保存各种令状，在文件上加盖国玺。Chancellor御前大臣，文秘署的首长。逐渐有特别司法管辖权，修正普通法的不公正之处，注重个案的公平。
普通法有两种救济方式：金钱赔偿（relief in the form of money）和返还财产（restoration of property）. 衡平法院弥补普通法不足，发展了新的救济方式，比如实际履行（specific performance）和禁令（injunction）
普通法法院有陪审团制度，听取口头答辩和口头询问；而衡平法院不设陪审团，采取书面审理方式。
13. Assignment
While an obligee can rid itself of a right merely by making an effective assignment, an obligor cannot rid itself of a duty merely by making an effective delegation.
14. Contingency fee 胜诉酬金、风险代理费
The Contingency fee makes litigation possible for people who could not afford it, and accordingly has been praised and condemned.
A plaintiff’s lawyer in a medical malpractice suit will typically take a contingency fee of around 40% of the total jury award.
15. Exculpatory clause
An exculpatory clause is part of an agreement which relieves one party from liability. It is a
provision in a contract which is intended to protect one party from being sued for their wrongdoing or negligence.
16. Effluxion of time 期限届满、合同到期
The license is not transferable and shall be returned forthwith to the authority if it has expired by effluxion of time.
17. Dictum 法官个人意见、附带意见
Obiter dictum is an opinion voiced by a judge that has only incidental bearing on the case in question and is therefore not binding. Also called dictum.
18. Inherent right
Right to bear is a kind of inherent right, and it is necessary for civil subjects to maintain their indepent personalities, so it should be considered as a kind of fundamental human rights and personality rights.
19. Invasion of privacy
Examples of invasion of privacy include placing microphones or cameras in someone’s bedroom or hacking into their computer.
20. Larceny 偷盗罪
In common law, larceny has been broadened by some statues to include embezzlement and false pretenses, all three of which are often subsumed under the statutory crime of theft.
21. Legitimate
The state protects the citizen’s ownership and inheritance rights to their legitimate income, savings, housing and other legitimate properties.
Legal 合乎国家正式颁布的法律的，经法律许可的
Lawful 合理合法的，合乎或不违反国家法律、教会戒律或道德的标准
Legitimate 既是合法的又是正当的defendant
22. Lien 留置权
Contractual liens and certain statutory liens may give the holder (by agreement between the parties or by order of the court or statute) the power to sell the goods and offset the proceeds against sums owed.
23. Maintenance 抚养费
Both parents are liable to provide child maintenance according to their own financial capacity.