Speaker 0 00:00:00 Sure. Uh, the word is impeach.
Speaker 1 00:00:05 Oh, I like that one. Cuz it sounds like, like the fruit peach.
Speaker 0 00:00:08 Yeah. I thinking it's a good summertime word
Speaker 2 00:00:16 Present having before the honorable the Supreme court of United's favorite.
Speaker 0 00:00:22 Welcome to the us law essentials law and language podcast, the legal English podcast for non-native English speakers that helps you improve your English, listening, improve your legal English vocabulary and build your knowledge of American legal culture. Hi, this is Daniel. And before we begin today's episode, I wanna remind you that us law essentials offers online courses in legal English, and online courses in us law. Our courses are designed for international attorneys, students, translators and bar candidates. If you have any questions, please
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Speaker 1 00:01:14 Hello and welcome to the us law essentials law and language podcast. I'm Steven Horowitz
Speaker 0 00:01:21 And I'm Daniel Edelson.
Speaker 1 00:01:23 And today we're starting a new series on legal English vocabulary, where we talk about, uh, a vocabulary word that has both a plain English meaning and also a legal English meaning. And Dan, you wanna tell us what the today's legal English vocabulary word is?
Speaker 0 00:01:39 Sure. Uh, the word is impeach.
Speaker 1 00:01:43 Oh, I like that one. Cuz it sounds like, like the fruit peach.
Speaker 0 00:01:48 Yeah, I think it's a good summertime word impeach. I am pea C H
Speaker 1 00:01:54 When people usually hear the word or use the word it has to do with Congress and specifically the house of representatives voting to have a trial for the president of the United States to see if they can get the president removed from office.
Speaker 0 00:02:11 You, you bring up an important point, Steve. Um, cuz I think in daily conversation when people say impeach as an impeach, the president, the, the sense that it's used in is okay, when the president is impeached, he's thrown out of office, but that's not really the correct meaning. Right,
Speaker 1 00:02:31 Right, right. The impeachment is just the first
Speaker 0 00:02:34 Step. It's almost like, um, where you're charging someone with a crime, but the trial hasn't taken place yet.
Speaker 1 00:02:42 Yeah. Like the indictment. Oh good work. And then, and then the, the trial happens in the Senate and that's where the president can actually be kicked out
Speaker 0 00:02:50 Of office. Right. Right. So impeachment just refers to when the house of representatives, one of the chambers of Congress decides to accuse, uh, the president or another government official of some crime. And then it, the trial though, it takes place in the other house of the legislative branch, which is the Senate.
Speaker 1 00:03:11 You'd think this is the legal English meaning because we're talking about government and constitution, but this is actually not the real legal English. Meaning. Dan, did you realize that? Wait,
Speaker 0 00:03:20 Wait, wait. You mean, we've been talking about something that doesn't have a legal English, meaning
Speaker 1 00:03:25 It has a SEP, there's a separate legal English, meaning for the word impeach. And it has specifically to do with lawyers and witnesses in court. Have you ever heard of this
Speaker 0 00:03:36 Before? Um, no. I'm thinking that it's where maybe a lawyer throws a peach at a witness, but that's probably not right. Is it?
Speaker 1 00:03:44 No, that doesn't happen so much anymore.
Speaker 0 00:03:47 <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:03:49 Yeah. So, so to in court we talk about impeaching a witness. Oh and yeah. And when you impeach a witness, what you're doing is trying to undermine their credibility. Ooh.
Speaker 0 00:04:03 So for example, if I'm cross examining a witness, so if the witness is on the other side and I want to show that this witness is less credible, less believable, I would try to impeach the witness.
Speaker 1 00:04:21 Yeah. Yeah. So it's really a, a process. It's not like one thing you do. It's sort of the process of asking questions to the witness to try to hurt the witness' credibility in front of the, the jury or the fact finder.
Speaker 0 00:04:35 I see. Okay. So impeach actually has these two different meanings. One is from the constitution in which the house of representatives charges someone with some sort of misconduct and then there's a trial in the Senate. But the other meaning is where you're trying to discredit a witness in court.
Speaker 1 00:04:59 Yeah. And that's such a good explanation, Dan, that I don't think I could ever impeach your credibility.
Speaker 0 00:05:05 <laugh> thanks. Thanks Steve. That, that, that, that makes me feel really peachy.
Speaker 1 00:05:12 Good. Okay. Let's go pick some peaches and have a good summer stay essential, Dan.
Speaker 0 00:05:17 Okay. Stay essential. Steve toin.
