Giwa Ihesha
Member
13 Words you use every day that Lawyers may understand differently
Sentence
In ordinary English: A group of words expressing a complete thought.
In law: The punishment imposed on a person after conviction.
Consideration
In ordinary English: Thinking carefully about something.
In law: Something of value exchanged between parties to a contract.
Execution
In ordinary English: Killing someone or carrying out a plan.
In law: The signing or formal completion of a legal document, or enforcement of a judgment.
Charge
In ordinary English: The amount you are asked to pay for something.
In law: A formal accusation that a person has committed an offence.
Action
In ordinary English: Doing something.
In law: A legal proceeding brought before a court.
Damages
In ordinary English: Physical harm or destruction.
In law: Money awarded by a court to compensate a person who has suffered a legal wrong.
Service
In ordinary English: Helping or providing something to someone.
In law: The formal delivery of a legal document to the person concerned.
Arrest
In ordinary English: Stopping someone from doing something.
In law: Taking a person into lawful custody.
Battery
In ordinary English: A device that stores electrical energy.
In law: Unlawful physical contact with another person.
Lien
In ordinary English: Many people may not even know this word.
In law: A legal right to retain property until a debt or obligation is satisfied.
Remedy
In ordinary English: A medicine or treatment for a problem.
In law: A legal means of enforcing a right or obtaining relief after a wrong.
Appeal
In ordinary English: To make an emotional or serious request.
In law: To ask a higher court to review a decision of a lower court.
Invitation to treat
This one confuses people the most.
In ordinary English, if you see a shop displaying a phone for ₦500,000, you may think:
“That's the offer. I accept!”
Not necessarily.
In contract law, an advertisement or display of goods will generally be treated as an invitation to treat an invitation for customers to make an offer.
So when you walk into a shop and say:
“I will buy this phone for ₦500,000.”
You are generally making the offer.
The seller can then accept or reject your offer.
So, contrary to what many people think, an advertisement is not automatically a legally binding offer.
This is why legal English can be d@ngerous if you interpret every legal word using its ordinary dictionary meaning.
Lawyers are not trying to confuse you.
Sometimes, the law has simply given an ordinary word a special meaning.
Which of these 15 words surprised you the most?
Confidence Aribibia
I remain your favorite Lawyer
SentenceIn ordinary English: A group of words expressing a complete thought.
In law: The punishment imposed on a person after conviction.
ConsiderationIn ordinary English: Thinking carefully about something.
In law: Something of value exchanged between parties to a contract.
ExecutionIn ordinary English: Killing someone or carrying out a plan.
In law: The signing or formal completion of a legal document, or enforcement of a judgment.
ChargeIn ordinary English: The amount you are asked to pay for something.
In law: A formal accusation that a person has committed an offence.
ActionIn ordinary English: Doing something.
In law: A legal proceeding brought before a court.
DamagesIn ordinary English: Physical harm or destruction.
In law: Money awarded by a court to compensate a person who has suffered a legal wrong.
ServiceIn ordinary English: Helping or providing something to someone.
In law: The formal delivery of a legal document to the person concerned.
ArrestIn ordinary English: Stopping someone from doing something.
In law: Taking a person into lawful custody.
BatteryIn ordinary English: A device that stores electrical energy.
In law: Unlawful physical contact with another person.
LienIn ordinary English: Many people may not even know this word.
In law: A legal right to retain property until a debt or obligation is satisfied.
RemedyIn ordinary English: A medicine or treatment for a problem.
In law: A legal means of enforcing a right or obtaining relief after a wrong.
AppealIn ordinary English: To make an emotional or serious request.
In law: To ask a higher court to review a decision of a lower court.
Invitation to treatThis one confuses people the most.
In ordinary English, if you see a shop displaying a phone for ₦500,000, you may think:
“That's the offer. I accept!”
Not necessarily.
In contract law, an advertisement or display of goods will generally be treated as an invitation to treat an invitation for customers to make an offer.
So when you walk into a shop and say:
“I will buy this phone for ₦500,000.”
You are generally making the offer.
The seller can then accept or reject your offer.
So, contrary to what many people think, an advertisement is not automatically a legally binding offer.
This is why legal English can be d@ngerous if you interpret every legal word using its ordinary dictionary meaning.
Lawyers are not trying to confuse you.
Sometimes, the law has simply given an ordinary word a special meaning.
Which of these 15 words surprised you the most?
Confidence AribibiaI remain your favorite Lawyer