30 Useful Legal & Law Idioms, Sayings and Phrases

Last updated on October 23, 2024 by Isabella Claire

Law idioms capture complex legal concepts in simple, everyday language, making them accessible to everyone and revealing the omnipresence of legal ideas in our lives. In the following text, we will explore the realm of law idioms, we find that they not only enrich our conversations but also give us a glimpse into the world of justice and order through a linguistic lens.

List of Law Idioms

  • (Caught) Bang to Rights
  • A law unto oneself
  • Above The Law
  • Act Of Congress
  • Against the law
  • All Rights Reserved
  • Bail Out
  • Ball and Chain
  • Bend the law
  • Blind justice
  • By the book
  • Caught red-handed
  • Court of public opinion
  • Due process of law
  • Get off on a technicality
  • Hang by a thread
  • In legal hot water
  • In the eyes of the law
  • Law of the land
  • Lay down the law
  • Legal eagle
  • Legal loophole
  • Letter of the Law
  • Make a federal case out of something
  • Open-and-Shut Case
  • Pass the bar
  • Take the Fifth
  • Take the law into one’s own hands
  • The spirit of the law
  • Throw the book at someone
  • Under the law
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Law Idioms with Meaning

Here is a list of Legal & Law Idioms, Sayings and Phrases with meaning:

Legal Phrase/Idiom Meaning
(Caught) Bang to Rights Caught in the act of doing something wrong, with no possibility of denial
A Law Unto Oneself Someone who acts independently and disregards norms or rules
Above The Law Not subject to the laws of society; immune to legal consequences
Act Of Congress Something that is very difficult to achieve
Against the Law Illegal; prohibited by law
All Rights Reserved A statement that reserves all the legal rights for the creator of a work
Bail Out To help someone out of a difficult situation, often with money
Ball and Chain A burden or restraint (often used to refer to a spouse in a humorously derogatory sense)
Bend the Law To interpret the law in a way that allows some flexibility; to skirt the edges of legal limits
Blind Justice The concept that justice should be impartial and not influenced by bias, wealth, or power
By the Book Following rules or procedures exactly
Caught Red-Handed To be caught in the act of committing a crime or doing something wrong
Court of Public Opinion The beliefs and opinions held by the general public, can affect a person’s reputation
Due Process of Law The legal requirement that the state must respect all legal rights owed to a person
Get Off on a Technicality To avoid conviction or punishment due to a legal technical error or minor detail
Hang by a Thread To be in a very precarious or dangerous position or situation
In Legal Hot Water To be in trouble with the law; facing legal problems or potential legal action
In the Eyes of the Law As viewed or interpreted by the legal system
Law of the Land The established law in a country or region
Lay Down the Law To clearly state the rules or laws that one must follow
Legal Eagle A particularly sharp or skilled lawyer
Legal Loophole A small or obscure detail in a law that allows one to avoid the consequences of the law
Letter of the Law Following the law in a very literal and strict sense
Make a Federal Case out of Something To greatly exaggerate the importance of a problem or issue
Open-and-Shut Case A legal case or problem that is easy to resolve because the evidence is clear
Pass the Bar To successfully complete a bar examination and qualify to practice law
Take the Fifth To refuse to answer a question in a legal setting, invoking the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
Take the Law into One’s Own Hands To act as if one has legal authority over a situation without the consent of the legal system
The Spirit of the Law The intended meaning or purpose of the law, rather than its literal wording
Throw the Book at Someone To punish or reprimand someone as severely as possible
Under the Law Subject to the legal system or jurisdiction

Law Idioms with Examples

Here are some example sentences of Law Idioms:

Idiom Example Sentence
(Caught) Bang to Rights The suspect was caught bang to rights on CCTV stealing the goods.
A law unto oneself He does things his own way, like a law unto oneself, without regard for the rules.
Above The Law The CEO acted as if he was above the law, ignoring regulations that applied to his company.
Act Of Congress It would take an act of Congress to change the deeply entrenched policies at that organization.
Against the law Driving over the speed limit is against the law and can result in a fine or worse.
All Rights Reserved The author published her book with the notice “All Rights Reserved” to protect her intellectual property.
Bail Out The government had to bail out the failing airline to save it from bankruptcy.
Ball and Chain The outdated computer system was like a ball and chain, slowing down all the work processes.
Bend the law The clever lawyer knew how to bend the law to benefit his client’s case.
Blind justice The principle of blind justice ensures that everyone is treated equally in the court system.
By the book The police officer insisted on doing everything by the book, despite the urgency of the situation.
Caught red-handed The burglar was caught red-handed by the homeowner, who arrived home early.
Court of Public Opinion Though acquitted in court, he was still found guilty in the court of public opinion.
Due process of law The accused insisted on his right to due process of law to ensure a fair trial.
Get off on a technicality The defendant got off on a technicality because the arresting officer failed to read him his rights.
Hang by a thread The fate of the legislation hangs by a thread, with the vote expected to be split down the middle.
In legal hot water After the data breach, the tech company found itself in legal hot water with both users and regulators.
In the eyes of the law In the eyes of the law, the evidence was circumstantial and not enough to convict.
Law of the land Freedom of speech is a law of the land, protected by the constitution.
Lay down the law The new supervisor quickly laid down the law, making her expectations clear.
Legal eagle Our attorney is a real legal eagle; she’s won every case she’s taken on.
Legal loophole They exploited a legal loophole to avoid paying higher taxes.
Letter of the Law He always follows the letter of the law, never allowing for any interpretation.
Make a federal case out of something She’s making a federal case out of a simple disagreement, escalating it unnecessarily.
Open-and-Shut Case With fingerprints and video evidence, it was an open-and-shut case against the burglar.
Pass the bar After years of study, he finally passed the bar exam and became a practicing lawyer.
Take the Fifth When asked about his involvement, he decided to take the Fifth to avoid self-incrimination.
Take the law into one’s own hands Frustrated with the lack of police action, he took the law into his own hands and chased the thief.
The spirit of the law The judge ruled based on the spirit of the law, considering the intent behind the legislation.
Throw the book at someone The prosecutor wants to throw the book at the corrupt politician to set an example.
Under the law Under the law, the company was obligated to provide safe working conditions for its employees.

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