📚 Year 12 SQA Law: Essential Legal Terms Quick Guide | Year 12 SQA 法律：核心法律术语速记指南
Mastering legal vocabulary is the first step towards confident analysis in SQA Law. This guide breaks down the key terms from the Scottish legal system, criminal law, civil law and beyond, pairing each concept with its precise Chinese equivalent to accelerate your revision.
掌握法律词汇是自信应对 SQA 法律课程的第一步。本指南拆解苏格兰法律体系、刑法、民法等领域的核心术语，每个概念都配有准确的中文对应，帮助你在复习中实现高效记忆。
1. Sources of Scots Law | 苏格兰法律渊源
Legislation (Statute Law) – Law created by the UK Parliament at Westminster or the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. An Act of the Scottish Parliament must be within its devolved competence.
立法（成文法） – 由威斯敏斯特的英国议会或荷里路德的苏格兰议会制定的法律。苏格兰议会法案不得超越其权力下放范围。
Common Law (Judicial Precedent) – Law developed through decisions of the courts, based on the doctrine of stare decisis (to stand by things decided).
普通法（判例法） – 通过法院判决发展而来的法律，基于“遵循先例”原则（stare decisis）。
Institutional Writings – Works of early Scottish jurists, such as Stair and Erskine, which carry persuasive authority as a source of law in Scotland.
法学经典著作 – 苏格兰早期法学家（如 Stair、Erskine）的著作，在苏格兰具有说服性权威，构成一种独特的法律渊源。
European Union Law (Retained) – Following Brexit, certain EU laws were retained and continue to influence Scots law under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
保留的欧盟法 – 英国脱欧后，根据《2018年欧盟（退出）法》，部分欧盟法律被保留并继续影响苏格兰法律。
2. The Scottish Court System | 苏格兰法院体系
Justice of the Peace Court – The lowest criminal court, handling minor summary offences such as breach of the peace and road traffic violations. Trials are heard by a lay justice or a stipendiary magistrate.
治安法院 – 最低级别的刑事法院，处理轻微简易罪行，如破坏治安和交通违规。由非专业治安法官或领薪治安法官审理。
Sheriff Court – Hears both criminal and civil cases. Criminal matters can proceed under summary procedure (sheriff alone) or solemn procedure (sheriff and jury). Civil jurisdiction covers delict, contract, family law and more.
郡法院 – 同时审理刑事和民事案件。刑事案件可采用简易程序（郡法官独审）或庄严程序（郡法官与陪审团）。民事管辖涵盖侵权、合同、家事法等。
High Court of Justiciary – Scotland’s supreme criminal court. It hears the most serious crimes (e.g. murder, rape) on indictment before a judge and jury, and also acts as the final court of criminal appeal.
苏格兰高等刑事法院 – 苏格兰最高刑事法院。审理最严重犯罪（如谋杀、强奸）的公诉案件，由法官和陪审团审理，同时作为刑事终审上诉法院。
Court of Session – The supreme civil court in Scotland, divided into the Outer House (first instance) and Inner House (appeals). Its decisions can be appealed to the UK Supreme Court.
苏格兰最高民事法院 – 苏格兰最高民事法院，分为外庭（初审）和内庭（上诉）。其判决可上诉至联合王国最高法院。
3. Criminal Law: Key Terms | 刑法：关键术语
Actus reus – The physical element of a crime: the wrongful act, omission or state of affairs that constitutes the external component of the offence.
犯罪行为（actus reus） – 犯罪的客观要素，即构成犯罪外在部分的违法行为、不作为或特定状态。
Mens rea – The mental element: the accused’s state of mind at the time of the act, such as intention, recklessness or, in some cases, knowledge.
犯罪意图（mens rea） – 主观要素，即被告在行为时的心理状态，例如故意、鲁莽，或在某些情形下的明知。
Dolus eventualis – A form of intention in Scots law where the accused foresaw the harmful outcome as a virtual certainty but proceeded regardless.
间接故意（dolus eventualis） – 苏格兰法中的一种故意形态，指被告预见到危害结果几乎是确定会发生，却仍然继续行动。
Corroboration – A distinctive requirement in Scots criminal law: essential facts of a case must be supported by two independent sources of evidence.
证据补强 – 苏格兰刑法的一项独特要求：案件的关键事实必须由两个独立的证据来源加以佐证。
4. Civil Law: Key Terms | 民法：关键术语
Pursuer and Defender – In Scottish civil proceedings, the party bringing the action is the pursuer (claimant in England), and the party defending is the defender.
原告与被告 – 在苏格兰民事诉讼中，提起诉讼的一方称为 pursuer（原告），进行抗辩的一方称为 defender（被告）。
Balance of Probabilities – The standard of proof in civil cases. The pursuer must show that their case is more likely to be true than not.
盖然性权衡 – 民事案件的证明标准。原告须证明其主张的事实发生概率高于不发生。
Damages – Monetary compensation awarded to a successful pursuer to restore them to the position they would have been in had the wrong not occurred.
损害赔偿金 – 判给胜诉原告的金钱补偿，旨在使其恢复到若无过错行为本应处于的状态。
Decree – The final judgement of a Scottish civil court, corresponding to a court order, which can be enforced.
判决（decree） – 苏格兰民事法院的最终裁判，相当于法院命令，具有强制执行力。
5. The Law of Delict | 侵权法（Delict）
Delict – The branch of Scots law dealing with civil wrongs, equivalent to tort in English law, and largely derived from Roman law principles.
侵权行为（delict） – 苏格兰法中处理民事过错的部门，相当于英格兰法中的 tort，主要源自罗马法原则。
Negligence – A central delict that requires the pursuer to prove that the defender owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused reasonably foreseeable loss.
过失侵权 – 一种核心侵权行为，要求原告证明被告负有注意义务、违反了该义务，并造成了可合理预见的损失。
Damnum injuria datum – Loss caused by a wrongful act, a foundational concept of delictual liability in Scots law, emphasising that loss must result from fault.
因不法行为造成的损失（damnum injuria datum） – 苏格兰侵权责任的基础概念，强调损失必须由过错行为造成。
Vicarious Liability – A situation where an employer can be held liable for delicts committed by an employee in the course of employment.
替代责任 – 雇主可能因雇员在雇佣过程中实施的侵权行为而承担法律责任的制度。
6. Contract Law Essentials | 合同法基础
Consensus in idem – A true meeting of minds; both parties must agree on the same subject matter in the same sense for a contract to be formed in Scots law.
合意（consensus in idem） – 真正意思表示的一致；在苏格兰法中，双方必须在同一标的上达成相同理解，合同才能成立。
Offer and Acceptance – The traditional analytical model for contract formation, but Scots law also recognises a unilateral promise as a distinct source of obligation.
要约与承诺 – 合同成立的传统分析模式，但苏格兰法还承认单方允诺是独立的债的发生根据。
Unilateral Promise – In Scots law, a promise made seriously and intended to be binding does not require acceptance to create a legal obligation.
单方允诺 – 苏格兰法中，严肃作出且意在产生拘束力的允诺，无需被承诺即可创设法律义务。
Materiality and Error – A contract may be void or voidable if one party entered into it under an essential error that the other party induced or was aware of.
重大误解与错误 – 若一方在对方诱使或知晓的实质性错误下订立合同，该合同可能自始无效或可撤销。
7. Human Rights and the Scotland Act | 人权与《苏格兰法》
European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – The international treaty that protects fundamental rights and freedoms, given further effect in UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998.
《欧洲人权公约》（ECHR） – 保护基本权利与自由的国际条约，通过1998年《人权法》在英国法中进一步实施。
Scotland Act 1998 – The statute that established the Scottish Parliament and devolved government, listing reserved and devolved matters. Acts of the Scottish Parliament may be struck down if incompatible with ECHR rights.
1998年《苏格兰法》 – 设立苏格兰议会和权力下放政府的成文法，列举了保留事项与权力下放事项。苏格兰议会法案若与《欧洲人权公约》权利不符，可被宣告无效。
Section 57(2) ECHR constraint – Scottish Ministers have no power to act in a way that is incompatible with ECHR rights, placing human rights at the heart of devolved governance.
第57(2)条 ECHR 限制 – 苏格兰大臣无权以与《欧洲人权公约》权利不符的方式行事，使人权处于权力下放治理的核心。
Proportionality – A key human rights principle: any interference with a Convention right must be proportionate, pursuing a legitimate aim without excessive restriction.
比例原则 – 一项关键的人权原则：对公约权利的任何干预必须相称，追求正当目标且不得施加过度限制。
8. Legal Personnel and the Judiciary | 法律职业与司法人员
Solicitor – A legal professional who provides advice, prepares documents and may represent clients in lower courts. In Scotland, solicitors can now apply for extended rights of audience.
事务律师 – 提供咨询、准备文件并可在下级法院代理客户的法律专业人士。在苏格兰，事务律师可申请延伸出庭权。
Advocate – A specialist member of the Faculty of Advocates who presents cases in the higher courts. Advocates are independent and can be appointed as Queen’s Counsel (QC) for seniority.
出庭律师 – 隶属于律师公会的专业人士，可在高等法院出庭代理。出庭律师独立执业，资深者可获任为王室法律顾问（QC）。
Sheriff – A judge in the Sheriff Court, appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the First Minister. Sheriffs handle a wide range of civil and criminal cases.
郡法官 – 郡法院的法官，由君主根据首席部长推荐任命，处理广泛的民事和刑事案件。
Lord Advocate – The senior Scottish Law Officer, head of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, responsible for the prosecution of crime and legal advice to the Scottish Government.
总检察长 – 苏格兰高级法律官员，领导皇家办公室与检察官服务处，负责刑事检控和向苏格兰政府提供法律意见。
9. Latin Maxims and Phrases | 拉丁格言与短语
Stare decisis et non quieta movere – To stand by decisions and not to disturb settled matters. This maxim underpins the doctrine of precedent in Scottish courts.
遵循先例，不扰既定之事 – 坚持已有裁决，不扰乱已解决的事项。该格言支撑着苏格兰法院的先例原则。
Ratio decidendi – The legal principle or reasoning essential to the court’s decision, forming the binding part of a precedent.
判决理由（ratio decidendi） – 对法院判决至关重要的法律原则或推理，构成有拘束力的先例部分。
Obiter dicta – Remarks made by a judge that are not necessary to the decision, carrying persuasive rather than binding authority.
附带意见（obiter dicta） – 法官作出的非判决必要之评论，仅具说服性而非拘束性权威。
Ultra vires – Beyond the powers. An act of a public body or the Scottish Parliament may be declared void if it goes beyond the legal authority granted.
越权（ultra vires） – 超越权限。公共机构或苏格兰议会的行为若超出法定授权，可被宣告无效。
10. Case Law and Judicial Precedent | 判例法与司法先例
Binding Precedent – A decision from a higher court that must be followed by lower courts within the same hierarchy. In Scotland, decisions of the UK Supreme Court bind all Scottish courts in civil matters.
有拘束力先例 – 必须被同一体系中下级法院遵循的上级法院判决。在苏格兰，联合王国最高法院在民事案件中的判决对所有苏格兰法院均有约束力。
Persuasive Precedent – A decision that a court is not obliged to follow but may find helpful, such as an obiter statement or a ruling from another jurisdiction.
说服性先例 – 法院无义务遵循但可采用的参考判决，例如附带意见或其他法域的裁决。
Distinguishing – A technique by which a court avoids following a precedent by pointing out material factual differences between the current case and the earlier one.
区别技术（distinguishing） – 法院通过指出当前案件与先前案例在事实上的重大差异，从而不适用先例的技巧。
Overruling – A higher court declares that a legal principle laid down in an earlier case is incorrect and sets a new precedent in its place.
推翻先例 – 上级法院宣布先前案例确立的法律原则错误，并代之以新的先例。
11. Criminal Procedure Terms | 刑事程序术语
Solemn Procedure – The most serious form of criminal trial in Scotland, conducted before a sheriff and jury in the Sheriff Court, or a judge and jury in the High Court.
庄严程序 – 苏格兰最严肃的刑事审判形式，在郡法院由郡法官和陪审团进行，或在高等法院由法官和陪审团进行。
Summary Procedure – A quicker trial process for less serious offences, heard by a sheriff or justice of the peace sitting without a jury.
简易程序 – 针对较轻犯罪的快速审判程序，由郡法官或治安法官独任审理，无需陪审团。
Indictment – The formal document containing the charges in solemn proceedings. In summary proceedings, the charging document is called a complaint.
公诉书（indictment） – 庄严程序中载有指控的正式文书。在简易程序中，指控文书称为 complaint（诉状）。
Procurator Fiscal – A legally qualified official who receives crime reports, investigates deaths and decides whether to prosecute, acting in the public interest.
地方检察官 – 受过法律训练的官员，接收犯罪报告、调查死亡事件并决定是否提起公诉，代表公共利益。
12. Key Defences in Criminal Law | 刑法主要抗辩事由
Self-Defence – A complete defence where the accused used reasonable force to protect themselves or another from imminent unlawful attack.
正当防卫 – 完整的抗辩事由，指被告使用合理武力保护自己或他人免受即刻的不法侵害。
Mental Disorder (Insanity) – At the time of the offence, the accused was suffering from a mental condition that prevented them from understanding the nature or wrongfulness of the act.
精神障碍（精神错乱） – 犯罪行为发生时，被告因精神状况而无法理解行为的性质或不法性。
Automatism – Defence claiming that the accused’s actions were involuntary due to external factors, such as a physical reflex or the effect of medication.
自动症 – 主张被告行为因外部因素（如身体反射或药物影响）而处于无意识或非自愿状态的抗辩。
Diminished Responsibility – A partial defence to murder, reducing the conviction to culpable homicide if the accused’s mental condition substantially impaired their ability to understand or control their conduct.
减轻责任 – 对谋杀罪的部分抗辩，若被告的精神状况严重削弱其理解或控制行为的能力，可将定罪降为过失杀人。
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