英文法律文书写作选词、用词

英文法律文书写作选词、用词

相同概念，相同用词

应保证使用同一单词表述同一概念，避免使用不同的单词表述同一概念。如在叙述某一辆轿车时，不要既用“the car”，又用“the vehicle”来表述，否则会引起不必要的误解，例如：

Even though the defendant commented that while in probation he had abetted two minors in petty larceny, this admission of illegality is not relevant to the present case.

本句缺陷在于“commented”与“admission”实际表述有些微差别，应将“commented”改为“admitted”。[参考译文]即便被告承认在缓刑期间他曾教唆两名未成年人盗窃，但对该不法行为的承认与目前案件无关。

顺手牵羊叫shoplifting, 抢劫是robbery, 武装抢劫armed robbery, 强奸是rape, 偷窃的小case是petty theft，大case是larceny，更大案件grand larceny, 半夜闯空门则是burglary. 走私毒品drug trafficking, 重伤害serious assault, 殴打assault and battery, 纵火arson. 像这些字都常在警匪片中出现。

律师的不同称谓

一般来说，attorney指某一特定案件中代理一方应诉的律师。

[例句1]Attorney Schwartz moved for a new trial. 施瓦兹律师请求法院再审此案。

[例句2]The attorney for the defense objected to the question. 被告律师反对这个问题。

lawyer是社会对律师的泛称。

[例句]Several hundred lawyers attended last year’s ABA convention. 几百名律师参加了去年全美律师协会的会议。

二者联系Unless a contrary meaning is plainly indicated “attorney”is synonymous with "lawyer" or "attorney at law".

另一个极为重要的律师称谓是Esquire (Esq.)，它在律师的名片和法院的文件中被广泛采用。In the United States, the title is commonly given in courtesy to lawyers and is often used in the superscription of letters instead of Mr. or Ms., for example "William Clinton, Esq. ".

Historically in the UK, barristers-at-law used this title, while solicitor used the term “gentleman”. In the U.S., where the roles of counsel and attorney were combined, the term "esquire" was adopted.

注：Solicitor & Barrister区别

Solicitor[英事务律师]—An attorney who advises clients on legal matters, represents clients in certain lower courts, and prepares cases for barristers to present in the higher courts.

Barrister[英出庭律师]—A counsel admitted to plead at the bar and undertake the public trial of causes in an English superior court.

区别一：分工不同。Solicitors generally handle office work, whereas barristers plead cases in court. However, there is some overlap. Solicitors may appear as legal counsel in the lower courts, and barristers often prepare trial briefs [上诉状] and other written documents.

区别二：数量不同。There are more solicitors than barristers because most legal work is done outside the courtroom.

联系：Barristers depend on solicitors to provide them with trial work because they are not allowed to accept work

on their own. The solicitor meets prospective clients, hears the client's problems, gives legal advice, drafts letters and documents, negotiates on the client's behalf, and prepares the client's case for trial. When a court appearance appears inevitable, the solicitor retains [聘请] a barrister on the client's behalf. The solicitor instructs the barrister on how the client wishes to proceed in court. The solicitor serves as an intermediary agent between the barrister and his client, negotiating fees and preparing the case for trial.

e.g. & i.e.用法

法律英语中的for example也可用e.g.[例如]表示；that is也可用i.e.[也就是]表示：

[例句1] The 15(a)(6) motion[向法庭提的动议] succeeded, i.e., the case was dismissed[被驳回].

[例句2] A contract may take many forms, e.g., a written letter or a mere oral promise.

注意：正式的英语法律文书不提倡使用e.g.和i.e.，所以上面的例句最好改成：

[例句1] The 15(a)(6) motion succeeded, that is, the case was dismissed.

[例句2] A contract may take many forms, such as a written letter or a mere oral promise.

Plaintiff, Defendant, Appellant and Respondent用法

如果是泛指，应用冠词引领且第一个字母不用大写，如：the plaintiff, a defendant, the appellant或a respondent。

如果是特指，则不用冠词且第一个字母要大写，如：Plaintiff, Defendant, Appellant或Respondent。

Appellant有时也被称为Plaintiff in error，Respondent有时被称为Defendant in error。

The Fact of the Matter or The Fact That

请注意下列紫色单词，其表达方式略显赘述，应尽量避免使用。如：

[例句1] The fact of the matter is that the plaintiff did not raise this claim until she learned of the defendant’s affluence[富有]。

此句应改为：

The plaintiff did not raise this claim until she learned of the defendant’s affluence.

[例句2] This failure was caused by the fact that the machine was inadequately designed.

此句应改为：

This failure was caused by the machine’s inadequate design.

Percent or Percentage用法

Percent[百分比]常和具体数字一起使用，Percentage[比率]一般不和具体数字一起使用，请看例句：

[例句1] The attorney gets a percentage for every recovery[获偿] obtained for his clients.

[例句2] The attorney gets 30 percent of every recovery obtained for his clients.

请记住：法律英语使用percent而不是per cent，per 和cent不能分开。

ABHORRENCE OF or ABHORRENCE FOR

当表示憎恨或厌恶时请使用abhorrence of 而不要使用abhorrence for。

Abhorrence of terrorism cannot justify flouting international law.

对恐怖活动的憎恶不能使藐视国际法的行为合法化。

THIS, THA T, or SAID

Said[上述、此、该]是陈旧的法律用语，现代法律英语大多采用this、that来代替。如：