Legal parlance

Examples of legal parlance.

"Breaking the law"[]

Breaking the law meant doing something that was illegal.

"Caught red-handed"[]

To be caught red-handed was to be caught with damning evidence of one's guilt (such as bloody hands).

In 2370, Quark informed Sakonna that the Cardassian Central Command had been caught red-handed smuggling weapons to settlers. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part II")

"Cruel and unusual punishment"[]

Cruel and unusual punishment referred to any punishment deemed to be torturous or abnormal.

In 2366, Q, faced with the distasteful prospect of living as a mortal Human from that moment on, referred to it as cruel and unusual punishment. (TNG: "Deja Q")

In 2375, Tom Paris, sentenced to thirty days in USS Voyager's brig, was told by Neelix that he could neither have holodeck privileges nor have non-essential conversation with anyone, prompting Paris to ask, "Did the words cruel and unusual mean anything to her?" (VOY: "Thirty Days"

"Eye for an eye"[]

An eye for an eye was a Biblical reference which described a system of justice in which people were punished according to their crime (i.e. giving their eye in exchange for one they damaged.

In 2377, The Doctor abhorred the Nygean use of capital punishment, referring to it as revenge rather than justice, citing the term "an eye for an eye". (VOY: "Repentance")

"Fruit of the poisonous tree"[]

Fruit of the poisonous tree was a term used to describe any evidence which had been acquired illegally, thereby rendering it inadmissible in court. The case Starfleet v. Wyck set a precedent regarding this doctrine. (SNW: "Ad Astra per Aspera")

External link[]

• Fruit of the poisonous tree at Wikipedia

"Judge, jury and executioner"[]

To act as judge, jury and executioner was to give oneself the sole right to pass judgment and mete out punishment for an individual's actions.

In 2374, Julian Bashir characterized Section 31 as appointing themselves judge, jury and executioner in the cases they handled, which Bashir regarded as too much power for anyone to have. (DS9: "Inquisition")

"Justice is blind"[]

Justice is blind means that justice is done in an impartial manner.

In 2370, while recording his thoughts about Vaatrik's murder in Deep Space 9's station security log, Odo commented, "There's no room in justice for loyalty or friendship or love. Justice, as the Humans like to say, is blind." (DS9: "Necessary Evil")

"Keep (one's) nose clean"[]

To keep one's nose clean was to avoid getting in trouble with the law.

In 2364, Detective Dan Bell warned a South American Data to keep his nose clean while he was in Bell's town. (TNG: "The Big Goodbye")

"Letter of the law"[]

• See: Letter of the law

"Make one's case"[]

To make one's case was to have justified a request or proven a claim, in (TOS: "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield", (DS9: "Dax") or out of court. (VOY: "Warhead")

In 2375, a desperate Tom Paris begged Neelix for replicator rations, as it was the anniversary of Paris' first date with B'Elanna Torres, and he needed a romantic dinner to celebrate. The Talaxian assured Paris he'd made his case and agreed. (VOY: "Warhead")

"Open-and-shut case"[]

An open and shut case was a criminal case in which the solution was fairly obvious, or at least appeared to be.

In 2372, when Brunt hired a couple of Nausicaans to assault Quark, Odo declared the assault to be an open and shut case. Despite that, Quark did not plan to press criminal charges, as he was already in enough trouble with the Ferengi Commerce Authority. (DS9: "Bar Association")

In 2376, declaring it an open-and-shut case, B'Elanna Torres declined to have security chief Tuvok investigate who had taken missing power cells, as she already knew that Tom Paris had filched them for Alice. (VOY: "Alice")

"Slap on the wrist"[]

A slap on the wrist was an unusually (sometimes inappropriately so) light sentence handed out for an infraction.

In 2154, Captain Jonathan Archer characterized his decision to put T'Pol in the brig temporarily as a slap on the wrist, something he felt she needed after refusing a direct order he gave her in the presence of the crew of Enterprise NX-01. (ENT: "Hatchery")

External link[]

• "Slap on the wrist"