📚 Year 12 Edexcel Law: Key Terminology Quick-Reference Guide | Year 12 Edexcel 法律核心术语速记指南
Mastering legal terminology is the foundation for success in Year 12 Edexcel Law. This guide distils the essential vocabulary from the English legal system, criminal law, tort law and contract law into concise bilingual explanations. Use these memory-friendly pairings to reinforce your revision and build confidence for both written examinations and discussion-based assessments.
掌握法律术语是 Year 12 Edexcel 法律考试成功的基础。本指南将英国法律体系、刑法、侵权法和合同法中的核心词汇浓缩为简洁的双语解释。通过这些便于记忆的配对照，巩固复习，增强笔试和讨论评估的信心。
1. Sources of Law & Classifications | 法律渊源与分类
Act of Parliament – A statute approved by the House of Commons, the House of Lords and receiving Royal Assent. It is the supreme form of domestic law and cannot be overturned by the courts. Memory tip: RAP – Royal Assent makes it an Act of Parliament.
议会法案 – 由下议院和上议院通过并获得御准的成文法，是最高形式的国内法，法院无权推翻。记忆提示：RAP – 御准 (Royal Assent) 使其成为议会法案。
Delegated Legislation – Laws made by bodies to which Parliament has given authority (e.g. Statutory Instruments, Orders in Council, By-laws). It allows detailed rules to be created quickly but is controlled by judicial review and parliamentary scrutiny.
授权立法 – 由议会授权给其他机构制定的法律（如法定文件、枢密院令、地方法规）。它能快速产生细则，但受司法审查和议会的监督。
Common Law – Law developed by judges through decisions in individual cases. It operates on the doctrine of precedent and is distinct from statute law.
普通法 – 由法官通过个案判决发展而来的法律，以遵循先例原则为基础，区别于成文法。
Equity – A body of rules that supplements the common law where its application would be too rigid. Equity operates on maxims, e.g. 'He who comes to equity must come with clean hands', and provides remedies like injunctions and specific performance.
衡平法 – 补充普通法的规则体系，在普通法过于僵化时发挥作用。衡平法遵循格言，如“请求衡平法救济者自身必须清白”，并提供禁制令和强制履行等救济。
Civil Law vs Criminal Law – Civil law deals with disputes between individuals and aims to compensate (claimant v defendant, standard of proof: balance of probabilities). Criminal law addresses wrongs against the state and aims to punish (prosecution v defendant, standard: beyond reasonable doubt).
民法与刑法 – 民法处理个人间的纠纷，目的为赔偿（原告诉被告，证明标准：盖然性权衡）。刑法针对危害国家的行为，目的为惩罚（公诉人诉被告，证明标准：排除合理怀疑）。
Public Law vs Private Law – Public law governs the relationship between individuals and the state (constitutional, administrative, criminal law). Private law regulates relationships between individuals (contract, tort, property law).
公法与私法 – 公法调整个人与国家的关系（宪法、行政法、刑法）。私法规制个人之间的关系（合同法、侵权法、财产法）。
2. The Doctrine of Precedent & Court Hierarchy | 遵循先例原则与法院层级
Stare Decisis – The principle that courts should stand by previous decisions. It ensures consistency, predictability and fairness in the legal system.
遵循先例 (Stare Decisis) – 法院应当遵循以往判决的原则，保障法律体系的一致性、可预测性与公平性。
Ratio Decidendi – The legal reason for a judge's decision. It is the binding part of a judgment that must be followed by lower courts in later similar cases.
判决理由 (Ratio Decidendi) – 法官判决的法律理据，是判决中具有约束力的部分，下级法院在后续类似案件中必须遵从。
Obiter Dicta – Statements made by the judge that are not necessary for the decision. They are persuasive but not binding. Tip: 'Obiter' is 'by the way' – just a comment.
附带意见 (Obiter Dicta) – 法官在判决中非必要的陈述，具有说服力但无约束力。提示：'Obiter'意为附带，只是额外的评述。
Binding Precedent – A precedent from a higher court in the same hierarchy that must be followed by lower courts. For example, the Court of Appeal is bound by the Supreme Court.
有约束力的先例 – 来自同一法院体系上级法院的先例，下级法院必须遵循。例如，上诉法院受最高法院判决的约束。
Persuasive Precedent – A decision that a court is not obliged to follow but may find convincing. It can come from lower courts, courts in other jurisdictions (e.g. Privy Council decisions) or obiter dicta.
有说服力的先例 – 法院不必强制遵循，但可因其说服力而采用的判决。可来源于下级法院、其他法域（如枢密院判决）或附带意见。
Court Hierarchy (Criminal) – Supreme Court → Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) → King's Bench Division (High Court) → Crown Court → Magistrates' Court. The Crown Court also hears appeals from Magistrates'.
刑事法院层级 – 最高法院 → 上诉法院（刑事庭） → 高等法院王座分庭 → 王室法院 → 治安法院。王室法院也审理来自治安法院的上诉。
Court Hierarchy (Civil) – Supreme Court → Court of Appeal (Civil Division) → High Court (King' Chancery, Family) → County Court. The High Court can also hear some first-instance cases.
民事法院层级 – 最高法院 → 上诉法院（民事庭） → 高等法院（王座、衡平、家事分庭） → 郡法院。高等法院也可审理部分一审案件。
3. Criminal Liability: Actus Reus & Mens Rea | 刑事责任：犯罪行为与犯罪意图
Actus Reus – The physical element of a crime. It can consist of an act, an omission (where there is a duty to act), or a state of affairs. For most crimes, the actus reus must be voluntary.
犯罪行为 (Actus Reus) – 犯罪的物理要素，可以由作为、不作为（当存在作为义务时）或特定状态构成。大多数犯罪要求行为是自愿的。
Omissions – A failure to act can only form the actus reus if the defendant had a legal duty to act. Duties arise from statute, contract, special relationship, voluntary assumption of care or creation of a dangerous situation.
不作为 – 仅当被告负有法定作为义务时，不作为才能构成犯罪行为。义务来源于成文法、合同、特殊关系、自愿承担照顾责任或制造危险状态。
Causation – The defendant's act must be both the factual cause ('but for' test) and the legal cause (the act was a substantial and operating cause of the harm). Thin skull rule applies: take the victim as you find them.
因果关系 – 被告的行为必须既是事实原因（“若无则不”标准），又是法律原因（行为是损害的重大且有效原因）。薄头盖骨规则适用：被害人自身体质不能中断因果。
Mens Rea – The mental element of an offence. It can take the form of intention (direct or oblique), recklessness (Cunningham – aware of risk but takes it), negligence or dishonesty. Memory: MR = Mind Required.
犯罪意图 (Mens Rea) – 犯罪的主观要素，形式包括故意（直接或间接）、轻率（Cunningham标准——意识到风险但仍冒险）、过失或不诚实。记忆：MR = 需要的心态。
Strict Liability – Offences that do not require proof of mens rea for at least one element of the actus reus. Often regulatory crimes, e.g. selling food unfit for human consumption. The defendant can be guilty even without fault.
严格责任 – 至少在犯罪行为某一要素上无须证明犯罪意图的罪行。常为监管性犯罪，如售卖不适合人类食用的食物。被告即使无过错也可能被定罪。
Transferred Malice – Where the defendant's mens rea for one offence can be transferred to the actual victim if the actus reus is of a similar kind. Example: intending to hit A but misses and hits B; the malice is transferred.
转移犯意 – 当犯罪行为属于同类，被告针对一人的犯意可转移至实际受害人。例如意图击打甲却误中乙，犯意随之转移。
4. Specific Criminal Offences | 具体刑事犯罪
Murder – The unlawful killing of a reasonable person under the Queen's (King's) peace with malice aforethought, expressed or implied. The mandatory sentence is life imprisonment.
谋杀 – 在王国治下非法杀害理性人，且具有明示或默示的恶意预谋。法定刑罚为终身监禁。
Loss of Control (Voluntary Manslaughter) – A partial defence to murder introduced by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The defendant must show loss of self-control, a qualifying trigger (fear of serious violence or things done/said of an extremely grave character), and that a person of normal tolerance and self-restraint would have reacted similarly.
失控（自愿性过失杀人） – 2009年《验尸官与司法法》引入的谋杀部分抗辩。被告须证明失去自控、存在合格的触发事由（对严重暴力的恐惧或极端严重言行），且具有正常忍耐和自控力的人亦会同样反应。
Diminished Responsibility (Voluntary Manslaughter) – Defined under s.2 Homicide Act 1957 as amended. The defendant must prove an abnormality of mental functioning arising from a recognised medical condition that substantially impaired their ability to understand conduct, form rational judgement or exercise self-control.
减轻责任（自愿性过失杀人） – 经修订的1957年《杀人法》第2条定义。被告须证明因公认的医疗状况导致精神功能异常，且严重损害其理解行为、形成理性判断或行使自控的能力。
Unlawful Act Manslaughter – An involuntary manslaughter form requiring an intentional unlawful act, which is dangerous (carries risk of some harm) and causes death. No need to prove foresight of death.
非法行为过失杀人 – 一种非自愿过失杀人，要求存在故意的非法行为、该行为具有危险性（存在造成某些伤害的风险）且导致死亡。无须预见死亡。
Theft – Under s.1 Theft Act 1968: the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention to permanently deprive. All five elements must be present.
盗窃 – 1968年《盗窃法》第1条：不诚实地占有他人财产，并意图永久剥夺。须同时满足五个要素。
Robbery – Theft under s.8 Theft Act 1968, committed immediately before or at the time of stealing, using force or putting the victim in fear of force. The force must be used to steal.
抢劫 – 1968年《盗窃法》第8条规定的盗窃，在盗窃即将发生时或盗窃过程中使用了武力，或使被害人恐惧武力。武力须用于盗窃目的。
5. Criminal Defences | 刑事抗辩
Intoxication – Voluntary intoxication is a defence only for crimes of specific intent (e.g. murder, s.18 wounding), where it may negate mens rea. It is no defence to basic intent crimes. Involuntary intoxication can be a defence if it prevents the formation of mens rea.
醉酒 – 自愿醉酒仅可作为特定意图犯罪（如谋杀、第18条重伤）的抗辩，可能否定犯意。对基本意图犯罪不能作为抗辩。非自愿醉酒若能阻止犯意形成，可作为抗辩。
Self-Defence – A common law and statutory (Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008) defence. The defendant may use reasonable force in the prevention of crime or to protect themselves or others. Force must be necessary and proportionate to the threat as honestly perceived.
自卫 – 普通法及成文法（2008年《刑事司法与移民法》）规定的抗辩。被告可使用合理武力预防犯罪或保护自己及他人。武力须是必要且与诚实地认知的威胁相称的。
Automatism – A defence where the defendant's actus reus was involuntary due to an external factor (e.g. a blow to the head, injection). It leads to a full acquittal if successful. Internal factors (disease of the mind) result in the defence of insanity instead.
无意识行为 – 因外部因素（如头部受击、注射）导致被告的犯罪行为非自愿的抗辩。成功则完全无罪。内部因素（精神疾病）则属于精神失常抗辩。
Consent – In non-fatal offences against the person, consent can be a defence for common assault and battery. For more serious harm, consent is only valid in certain contexts (e.g. properly conducted sports, surgery). The courts limit consent on public policy grounds.
同意 – 在非致命人身犯罪中，同意可作为普通袭击
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