1. racketeering
   contract
2. bribe

A contract is an agreement between two parties in which both sides agree to do (or not do) something. But of course, people break contracts all the time, often with severe repercussions.

1. prejudiced
   impartial
2. drunk

Impartiality is imperative to fair legal proceedings. Judges who have prejudices may make terrible decisions that harm innocent peoples' lives.

1. when lawyers question witnesses from the opposing side
   when a lawyer stops to pray during a trial
2. when a bloody, sharp cross is introduced as evidence during a murder trial

Witnesses are fair game for both sides during a trial. When the opposing attorney performs a cross examination, he or she is questioning a witness from the opposing side.

1. a soliloquy
   an appeal
2. a contract

Often, one party is unsatisfied with a judge's ruling. They may file an appeal in hopes of a higher court overturning that decision. In some situations the appeals process may drag on for years.

1. In a legal situation, everyone should be treated fairly.
   In a court case, hungry lions should punish offenders.
2. Defendants and accusers face each other in a boxing ring, that way Darwin's rules dictate who wins.

Natural justice refers to the idea that everyone should be treated fairly during a legal case. Sadly, that concept doesn't always play out in the real world.

1. precedent
   constitution
2. textbook

A "precedent" is established by previous court cases. Some unique situations are unprecedented, meaning the judge and jury are in uncharted waters and hoping to find a fair resolution.

1. whiner
   plaintiff
2. money-grabber

The plaintiff is the party that files a lawsuit. Well-organized plaintiffs create clear and concise cases that make it easy for a judge to rule in their favor.

1. interrogation
   deposition
2. inquisition

In a deposition, lawyers record sworn statements from a plaintiff or defendant. Those statements may then be used during a subsequent trial.

1. felony
   misdemeanor
2. public urination

Felonies are the most serious crimes in America. Convicted felons often wind up in prison and have some of their rights stripped.

1. defendant
   opponent
2. prosecutor

A defendant is someone who's accused of wrongdoing. In America, defendants are innocent until provent guilty, unless they're poor, in which case they're simply guilty.

1. to insult his opponent
   to make his case with the court
2. because a "long" was too lengthy

A brief is the document that a lawyer writes to make his argument to the court. Some lawyers write low-quality briefs, and their cases suffer as a result.

1. a way to imprison the less fortunate
   a series of rules for a community
2. a type of knock-knock joke

Laws are sets of rules that apply to communities large and small. Without laws, people run around tripping each other, and then pointing and laughing, for no particular reason.

1. statute
   tort
2. diligence

A statute is a written law. Statutes guide all sorts of regulations and law enforcement standards.

1. constitution
   jurisdiction
2. affidavit

An affidavit is a written statement made under oath. If you lie on an affidavit, you're really asking for trouble.

1. You did something wrong.
   A judge gave you a sentence.
2. A prosecutor lost the case.

If you so something wrong from a legal or moral perspective, you're guilty of malfeasance. Depending on the situation, your malfeasance may result in serious penalties.

1. hanging
   belief
2. conviction

A conviction is a judgment of guilt against a defendant. Following a conviction, defendants face penalties or sentencing.

1. unnatural law
   civil law
2. uncivil law

Civil law deals with all of the issues that criminal law doesn't cover. In many situations, cases that fail in the realm of criminal law wind up as civil cases, where plaintiffs have new hope of finding justice.

1. to prove ownership
   to prove importance
2. to prove marriage

A title proves ownership of a particular object, such as a car or boat. If you take a loan out for a car, the bank holds the title until you finish paying the full amount.

1. everyone
   the rich
2. minorities

In America, the rule of law is supposed to apply to everyone. In other words, no one is above the law. Unless you're rich or politically connected, then the rules change.

1. a prison term
   damages to another party
2. a type of tasty pastry

A tort refers to damages -- intentional or accidental -- caused to another party. Tort law is a major field of law in the United States.

1. discovery
   navigation
2. interrogation

In the discovery phase of a trial, lawyers poke through piles of evidence. It's the information that they use to build their cases.

1. house arrest
   provisional remedy
2. joke

A provisional remedy is a temporary court order meant to stop a further damage to a plaintiff as legal proceedings continue. A restraining order, then, is meant to safeguard a person until an arrangement is created to stop an offender who annoys or threatens someone.

1. adjective law
   cause of action
2. mens rea

A cause of action is any wrongdoing that causes a plaintiff to file a lawsuit. A breach of contract is one example of cause of action.

1. bribery
   battery
2. bankruptcy

There are multiple types of bankruptcy, and Chapter 13 is one such category. It's often called the "wage-earner" bankruptcy plan.

1. It involves a primadonna.
   A judge refuses to review the case.
2. The facts seem to immediately prove the case.

In a prima facie case, the facts seem startlingly clear -- so clear that they immediately prove the case. But in some situations, a prima facie case may ultimately be more complicated than at first glance.

1. creates a new corporation
   sentences defendants to prison
2. stops a party from taking some action

Injunctions are meant to stop one party from taking some action. A temporary injuction, for example, may stop one party from further harming another until a permanent injuction is in place.

1. true
2. false

In general, misdemeanor crimes are less serious than felonies, and their penalties are less serious, too. But that's only if you get caught! So, go right ahead, no one will ever find out.

1. the history of a court case
   the criminal record of the plaintiff
2. the cost of filing a lawsuit

A case docket describes the history of a case, briefly summarizing (in chronological order) all court proceedings.

1. to dismiss the lawsuit
   to imprison the plaintiff
2. to consider the death sentence

Defendants often file demurrers with a judge in hopes of having the lawsuit dismissed. A demurrer essentially states that there's no real basis for a lawsuit.

1. service of process
   verdict
2. warrant

At the end of a court case, a judge or jury will deliver a verdict. The verdict may absolve a defendant … or perhaps put her in prison for life.