➔ see usage note lawyerWORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:

lawyer, attorney, solicitor, barrister, counselLawyer is a general word for someone who has professional training in legal work or who is an expert in the law.In American English, the word attorney is often used instead, especially in legal or official language and especially to refer to a lawyer who represents people in court.In British English, there is a difference between a solicitor , who gives legal advice and prepares legal documents, and a barrister , who represents people in court.In both American and British English, someone's counsel is the lawyer or group of lawyers who represent them in court. ➔ See also lawyerWORD FOCUS: court WORD FOCUS: court
people in a court of law: judge, magistrate, jury, defence British English/defense American English, prosecution, defendant, witness, attorney, lawyer, barrister British English, solicitor British English, district attorney American English
what happens in a court case:At the beginning of the trial, the person who is accused pleads guilty or not guilty to the charges against them. The lawyers for the prosecution try to prove that the defendant is guilty, and the lawyers for the defence try to prove that their client is innocent. The judge and the jury examine the evidence and listen to the testimony of the witnesses. At the end of the trial, the judge then sums up the case, and the jury then gives their verdict. If the person is found guilty, the judge sentences them to a period of time in prison, or orders them to pay a fine. If the person is found not guilty, they are released.court

➔ See also court