📚 Year 10 Edexcel Law: Vocabulary and Terminology Quick Reference Guide | 法律术语速记指南
Mastering key legal vocabulary is essential for any student beginning GCSE Law under Edexcel. This guide breaks down the most important terms into accessible pairings, covering criminal liability, tort, the court system, and sources of law. Use it to build your confidence in essays, problem questions, and multiple‑choice exams.
掌握关键的法律词汇是学习 Edexcel GCSE 法律的基础。本指南将最重要的术语拆解为易懂的对照片段，涵盖刑事责任、侵权法、法院体系与法律渊源。用它来提升你在论文、案例分析与选择题中的信心。
1. Actus Reus and Mens Rea | 犯罪行为与犯罪意图
Actus reus refers to the guilty act – the physical element of a crime. It can be an action, an omission where a duty exists, or a state of affairs. For example, in murder, the actus reus is the unlawful killing of a human being. Mens rea is the guilty mind – the mental element the defendant must possess at the time of the crime. Different offences require different levels of mens rea, such as intention, recklessness, or negligence. Both elements must normally coincide in time for liability to arise.
犯罪行为 (actus reus) 指罪行中的物理要素，可以是作为、存在法定义务时的不作为，或某种状态。例如，在谋杀罪中，犯罪行为是非法剥夺他人生命。犯罪意图 (mens rea) 是被告人犯罪时需具备的心理要素。不同罪名对犯罪意图要求不同，如故意、轻率或过失。通常二者需在时间上重合才能构成责任。
2. Strict Liability | 严格责任
Strict liability offences do not require proof of mens rea for at least one element of the actus reus. The prosecution only needs to show that the defendant performed the prohibited act. Common examples include many regulatory offences, such as selling alcohol to a minor or driving without insurance. The defence of due diligence may sometimes be available, but the absence of fault is generally not a defence. These offences aim to encourage higher standards of care in matters of public safety.
严格责任罪名不要求对犯罪行为中至少一个要素证明犯罪意图。控方只需证明被告人实施了被禁止的行为。常见例子包括许多公共管理类犯罪，如向未成年人售酒或无保险驾驶。有时可提出“尽职调查”抗辩，但无过错一般不是抗辩理由。此类罪名旨在鼓励在公共安全事项上提高注意标准。
3. Negligence in Tort | 侵权中的过失
Negligence is a tort that occurs when a person fails to take reasonable care to avoid causing injury or loss to another. The three elements are: a duty of care owed by the defendant to the claimant, a breach of that duty by falling below the standard of the reasonable person, and damage caused by that breach which is not too remote. The famous case of Donoghue v Stevenson established the neighbour principle, forming the modern law of negligence.
过失是一种侵权行为，指行为人未能尽到合理注意义务以避免对他人造成伤害或损失。三个要素为：被告对原告负有注意义务；因未达到合理人标准而违反该义务；由该违反行为造成的损害且该损害并非过于遥远。著名的“多诺霍诉史蒂文森”案确立了邻人原则，奠定了现代过失法基础。
4. Precedent: Ratio Decidendi and Obiter Dicta | 判例：判决理由与附带意见
Judicial precedent relies on the hierarchy of courts to create consistency in law. Ratio decidendi is the legal principle or reason upon which a court's decision is based; it is binding on lower courts in future, similar cases. Obiter dicta are statements made by judges “by the way” that are not essential to the decision. Obiter is not binding but can be highly persuasive. For instance, the “neighbour principle” began as obiter in Donoghue v Stevenson before becoming a central ratio in later cases.
司法判例依靠法院层级制度来维持法律的一致性。判决理由 (ratio decidendi) 是法院判决依据的法律原则或原因，对未来下级法院的类似案件具有约束力。附带意见 (obiter dicta) 是法官“顺便”作出的论述，对判决并非必需。附带意见不具约束力，但可能极具说服力。例如，“邻人原则”起初只是多诺霍案中的附带意见，后来才成为后续案件的核心判决理由。
5. Burden and Standard of Proof | 举证责任与证明标准
In criminal cases, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution, meaning it is the prosecution’s duty to prove the defendant’s guilt. The standard of proof is beyond reasonable doubt, a very high threshold. In civil law, the claimant normally bears the burden, and the standard is on the balance of probabilities, meaning that it is more likely than not that the claim is true. Occasionally in criminal law, the defendant bears a burden to prove a defence on the balance of probabilities.
在刑事案件中，举证责任在于控方，即控方有义务证明被告人有罪。证明标准为排除合理怀疑，此门槛极高。在民事法律中，通常由原告承担举证责任，证明标准为盖然性权衡，即事情发生的可能性大于不发生的可能性。刑事法律中偶尔也会要求被告人对某一抗辩承担盖然性权衡的举证责任。
6. Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person | 非致命人身侵害
Key offences include assault (causing another to apprehend immediate unlawful violence; no touching required), battery (actual unlawful physical contact), assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) under s.47 Offences Against the Person Act 1861, and grievous bodily harm (GBH) under s.20 (wounding or inflicting GBH, with mens rea of “maliciously”) or s.18 (wounding or causing GBH with intent). Understanding the distinction between “inflict” and “cause”, and between “recklessness” and “intent”, is crucial.
重点罪名包括企图伤害 (assault)（使他人预见即将发生的非法暴力，无需实际接触）、殴打 (battery)（实际的非法身体接触）、根据《1861年人身侵害罪法》第47条的殴打致实际身体伤害 (ABH)，以及第20条（恶意伤害或造成严重身体伤害）和第18条（故意伤害或造成严重身体伤害）下的严重身体伤害 (GBH)。理解“造成 (inflict)”与“导致 (cause)”的区别，以及“轻率 (recklessness)”与“故意 (intent)”的区别至关重要。
7. Property Offences | 财产犯罪
Theft is defined under s.1 Theft Act 1968 as the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention to permanently deprive. Robbery is theft plus the use or threat of force immediately before or at the time of stealing. Burglary under s.9 involves entering a building as a trespasser with intent to commit theft, GBH, or unlawful damage, or doing so and then committing such an offence. Criminal damage includes destroying or damaging property belonging to another without lawful excuse.
盗窃 (theft) 根据《1968年盗窃法》第1条定义为以永久性剥夺为目的，不诚实地侵占他人财产。抢劫 (robbery) 是盗窃加上在窃取前或窃取时立即使用或威胁使用暴力。入室盗窃 (burglary) 根据第9条指作为侵入者进入建筑物，意图实施盗窃、严重身体伤害或非法损坏，或进入后实施了上述行为。刑事损坏包括无合法理由毁坏或损坏他人财产。
8. Homicide: Murder and Manslaughter | 杀人罪：谋杀与非预谋杀人
Murder is the unlawful killing of a reasonable person in being under the Queen’s (or King’s) peace with malice aforethought, which means intention to kill or cause GBH. Voluntary manslaughter arises when the defendant would otherwise be guilty of murder but successfully pleads a partial defence such as diminished responsibility or loss of control. Involuntary manslaughter covers killings where the defendant lacks the mens rea for murder; the main types are unlawful act manslaughter (constructive manslaughter) and gross negligence manslaughter.
谋杀 (murder) 是具有恶意预谋、在和平状态下非法杀害一个有理智的人。“恶意预谋”指故意杀人或故意造成严重身体伤害。自愿非预谋杀人 (voluntary manslaughter) 指本可构成谋杀，但因成功主张减轻责任或失控等部分抗辩而降级。非自愿非预谋杀人 (involuntary manslaughter) 指被告人缺乏谋杀罪犯罪意图的杀人行为；主要类型有非法行为非预谋杀人（推定非预谋杀人）和重大过失非预谋杀人。
9. Sources of Law: Statute and Common Law | 法律渊源：成文法与普通法
Statute law (legislation) is made by Parliament. Acts of Parliament are the highest form of domestic law. Delegated legislation – such as statutory instruments and bylaws – is made by other bodies to whom Parliament has given law‑making powers. Common law is judge‑made law developed through the doctrine of precedent. While many areas have been codified by statute, common law still underpins criminal law principles such as the definitions of intention and recklessness, and tort law concepts like duty of care.
成文法 (statute law / legislation) 由议会制定。议会法令是国内最高形式的法律。授权立法——如行政规章和地方法规——由议会授权的其他机构制定。普通法 (common law) 是通过判例原则由法官制定的法律。尽管许多领域已被成文法化，普通法依然构成刑法中故意、轻率等定义的基础，也支撑着侵权法中的注意义务等概念。
10. Civil Law vs. Criminal Law | 民法与刑法对比
Criminal law deals with conduct harmful to society as a whole and aims to punish offenders. Cases are brought by the state, usually through the Crown Prosecution Service. The outcome may be a conviction and a sentence such as imprisonment or a fine. Civil law resolves disputes between individuals or organisations, seeking a remedy such as damages or an injunction. Key distinctions include the terminology (defendant vs. claimant), the courts, the standard of proof, and the purpose of the action.
刑法处理对社会整体有害的行为，旨在惩罚犯罪者。案件由国家提起，通常通过皇家检察署进行。结果可能是定罪及判处监禁或罚款等刑罚。民法解决个人或组织之间的纠纷，寻求损害赔偿或禁令等救济。主要区别包括术语（被告人 vs. 原告）、审理法院、证明标准以及诉讼目的。
11. Key Legal Personnel and Courts | 关键法律角色与法院
Important roles include the judge (presides over court, decides legal issues, sums up facts for jury, passes sentence), the magistrate (in Magistrates’ Court, hears most minor criminal cases, and can do some civil work), the jury (in Crown Court, decides guilt based on facts), the solicitor (gives legal advice, prepares cases, and may represent clients in lower courts), and the barrister (specialises in court advocacy, often instructed by solicitors). The Supreme Court is the highest court in the UK, followed by the Court of Appeal, then the High Court and Crown Court.
重要角色包括法官 (judge)（主持庭审，决定法律问题，向陪审团总结事实，宣判）、治安法官 (magistrate)（在治安法院审理大多数轻微刑事案件并可处理部分民事事宜）、陪审团 (jury)（在刑事法院根据事实裁定有罪与否）、事务律师 (solicitor)（提供法律咨询、准备案件并可在下级法院代表当事人）和出庭律师 (barrister)（专精于法庭辩护，通常由事务律师委托）。联合王国最高法院是最高层级法院，其次是上诉法院，然后是高等法院和刑事法院。
12. Common Defences in Criminal Law | 常见刑事抗辩理由
Defences may be general (applying to any crime) or specific to certain offences. Self‑defence and defence of another justify the use of reasonable force. Intoxication can be a defence only to crimes of specific intent if involuntary; voluntary intoxication rarely provides a complete defence. Insanity requires the defendant to prove on balance of probabilities that they suffered from a defect of reason due to a disease of the mind, preventing them knowing the nature and quality of the act or that it was wrong. Automatism covers acts done involuntarily by a sane defendant when the mind is not in control.
抗辩理由可为通用（适用于任何犯罪）或特定于某些罪名。自卫 (self‑defence) 和防卫他人允许使用合理武力。醉酒 (intoxication) 仅在非自愿时可能作为特定故意犯罪的抗辩；自愿醉酒极少构成完全抗辩。精神错乱 (insanity) 要求被告人以盖然性权衡证明其因精神疾病导致理性缺陷，致使其无法认识行为的性质和本质或无法分辨对错。无意识行为 (automatism) 涵盖精神正常者在意识失控时的非自愿行为。
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