accusatorial
- adjective
- /əˌkjuːzəˈtɔːriəl/
- Formal
:
acusatorio
- The judge in an accusatorial trial remains impartial, overseeing the proceedings between the defense and the prosecution.
Examples
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In accusatorial processes, the accuser and judge are distinct and separate; specific charges are brought against the accused, and the prosecutor must prove the charges to the satisfaction of the judge by means of presenting independent, verifiable evidence.
Academic text (2000) -
At this juncture, it is important to be clear about the principal differences between inquisitorial and accusatorial judicial processes, and to remember that the Santo Oficio, despite its use of prosecuting and defense attorneys, was an archetypal inquisitorial process.
Academic text (2000) -
In an accusatorial legal system, the burden of proof is on the prosecution to demonstrate the defendant's guilt.
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During an accusatorial process, specific charges are formally brought against the accused individual, requiring the prosecution to provide evidence.
Synonyms
10
6.3
Showing blame or suggesting someone did something wrong
1
8.6
Showing blame toward someone
Showing blame or saying someone did something wrong
Antonyms
- Specialized
About an official investigation where a judge or official asks questions to find facts
Surface Forms
Morphology
accusatorial = accusator (semi-transparent) = accusator + ial
The adjective is formed from an accuser-term plus the adjectival suffix, but the legal-technical meaning is specialized and not fully predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Accusatorial comes from the Latin verb accusare, which means 'to accuse', and it shares the same root as accuse and accusation. So accusatorial describes a legal system or process that is 'about accusing' people and putting them on trial in public, where the act of accusation is the main focus.