Something Rhymes with Purple Pettifogger
Feb 23, 2021
The hosts dive into the quirks of legal language and courtroom culture, exploring the origins of terms like 'juror' and what it means to be 'silk.' With humor, they discuss colorful brief bags and the dark side of courtroom slang, including 'manslaughter' as 'man's laughter.' Tales of infamous lawyers and courtroom repartee add flair to the lively conversation. Susie also shares fascinating words like 'ninguid' and 'widdendream,' making legal talk both educational and entertaining.
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Make Legal Language Accessible
- Simplify legal language to make law accessible to laypeople.
- Modern efforts aim to strip archaic legalese and clarify meaning in court communications.
Latin Keeps Legal Language Dense
- Latin phrases like ad hoc, modus operandi, pro bono, and ipse dixit remain central in legal speech and can obscure meaning for laypeople.
- 'Ipse dixit' flags arguments resting solely on authority rather than evidence.
Caught In The Act, Literally
- 'In flagrante delicto' literally means a blazing or very visible crime, similar to being caught red-handed.
- The phrase emphasizes being caught in the act rather than inferred guilt.
