International Public Law – Key Terms, Part I (Sept. 1, 2020)
Have a look at these 15 terms related to International Public Law, a key area of Legal English. Would you know the answers? In few cases more than one answer would be acceptable. I will be posting them next week!
1. signed, made official, settled or confirmed by express or implied consent to something done or agreed to by an agent or servant; Few months ago, the leaders of Canada, US & Mexico ___________ the revised NAFTA.
a) Signed b) entered into c) ratified d) subscribed
2. to choose someone for a position in the Supreme Court or on a Board of a company; He was ___________ to the position of Chief Justice despite fierce opposition from civil society activists.
a) Named b) appointed c) selected d) elected
3. when a higher court agrees with the decision of an inferior court; Ultimately the Higher Appellate Court ______ the lower court’s ruling, concluding that it had no authority to interfere with its findings.
a) upheld b) approved c) seconded d) affirmed
4. when a higher court changes the decision of an inferior court; After careful analysis of the case, the Appeals Court ____________ the decision of the Immigration and Refugee Board, deeming it patently unreasonable.
a) Rejected b) reversed c) canceled d) overturned
5. part of a Court decision that tells parties what each one of them must do; The Court ___________ the Defendant to restitute the Claimant for the injury to her reputation as a result of the defamatory comment.
a) Directed b) dictated c) ordered d) asked
6. administration of justice according to democratic rules and principles; It is widely acknowledged that in many Middle Eastern and Asian nations, the Defendant’s ___________ rights are not respected.
a) Due process b) human c) fair trial d) procedural
7. Petition for a specific relief from Court; They filed a ____________ for injunction, fearing that the Claimant might transfer all of his assets overseas before the trial.
a) Writ b) pleading c) statement of claim d) motion
8. when Parliament or a lower Court sends a specific matter or question (usually of constitutional nature) to Supreme Court for its interpretation; The House of Commons ________ its new euthanasia Bill to the Supreme Court to verify its constitutionality.
a) Forwarded b) referred c) presented d) introduced
9. proceeding before a court or other decision-making body; generally it is short and limited to a specific issue (or set of issues); Tomorrow morning I will be attending a procedural _________ to determine this Court’s jurisdiction and competence over this matter.
a) Trial b) process c) hearing d) a & b
10. a proceeding whereby a Court examines all the evidence, hears arguments of all parties and testimonies of all witnesses in order to reach a decision in a criminal or civil matter; usually longer and more formal than a hearing; Amanda Knox stood a highly controversial __________ in Italy for a murder of her flatmate, during which, according to EU’s Court of Human Rights, many elements of due process were not respected.
a) Hearing b) procedure c) process d) trial
11. a process under which charges are brought against a high constitutional authority, public official or judge and removing him/her from office; The Senate decided to initiate _____________ hearing after it found that the President lied under oath when he stated that he had no sexual relations with his staff member.
a) Resignation b) impeachment c) prosecution d) sentencing
12. to determine the meaning of a written document, statute, or legal decision, based upon rules of legal interpretation; After several days of analysis, the International Commercial Court __________ article 7 of the Treaty as invalid.
a) Construed b) declared c) deemed d) announced
13. to obey the law; to act according to a rule, promise, or agreement; to accept a rule, promise, or agreement; US government announced that it would not ______________ the terms of the Paris Climate Accord since a number of other nations did not do so either.
a) Fulfil b) comply with c) abide by d) respect
14. to make or pass a law; The Parliament recently _______ a new law, making it an offence to walk in public without a face mask.
a) Introduced b) enacted c) approved d) drafted
15. to make someone pay (a fine or penalty); As a result of violating the new face mask law, a 300 euro fine was ___________ on her.
a) issued b) forced c) given d) imposed
International Public Law – Key Terms, Part I: ANSWER KEY
1 c; 2 a & b; 3 a & d; 4 b& d; 5 c; 6 a; 7 d; 8 b; 9 c; 10 d; 11 b; 12 a; 13 a, b & c; 14 b; 15 c