Second Language Legal English
The words admit and admission are used in general English in two ways. We speak of an open statement of agreement as an admission, usually in a negative way.
I must admit that my exam results were poor last summer
I admit to being lazy and selfish most of the time
Your statement is a clear admission of failure
We also use admission in connection with entering a building for some purpose
Upon admission to the museum, you must go to the second-floor exhibition room
She gained admission to a very good university for science studies
After the accident the driver was admitted to hospital for emergency treatment
In its legal sense, admit and admission are used in four main ways:
Qualification to practice law,
Admitting to a claim or a criminal charge,
The introduction of evidence into court, and
Giving something formal recognition or proof
Qualification to practice law
In many countries of the world, when a person qualifies to practice law we speak of them as having been granted admission to practice, or of gaining admission to practice law, or of being admitted to the profession, or, commonly admitted to the bar.
The word bar here has two meanings. In modern courtrooms***,*** there is a physical barrier that separates the public area from the space where the lawyers participate in proceedings before the judge. Bar, or the bar, also refers to the legal profession. Being admitted to the bar or admitted to the profession is symbolic of being allowed to practice law.
Admission is also used to describe a lawyer’s length of practice, and hence their qualification and experience. She has ten years’ admission at the criminal bar means she has been a practising criminal lawyer for ten years.
Admitting to wrongdoing
In a civil case, an admission is a statement by a party that is adverse (harmful) to their case. It may be formal (for example, in a filed statement or document) or informal. In a criminal case, a guilty plea is a formal admission to committing the offence as charged. A defendant may make a statement admitting a set of facts while not admitting guilt.
Allowing evidence to be considered by the court
For evidence to be put before a jury or a judge, it must be relevant to the case being tried and admissible. Admissible is the adjective form of the verb to admit. Each jurisdiction has rules of evidence that either allow evidence to be admitted, or prevent evidence from **being admitted. These are rules of admissibility and inadmissibility of evidence.
We speak of documents being admitted into evidence, and documents being admitted as evidence of guilt.
Formal recognition or proof
When a person dies having made a will, the process of validating the will and appointing executors to carry out the testator’s wishes is called probate. A will is admitted to probate for this purpose.
If a defendant’s criminal case is adjourned and they are given bail to appear at court at a later date, they are admitted to bail to appear on that day.
In the USA there are admitted companies. These are insurance companies that are registered in one state but are admitted by another state to offer insurance contracts there. These companies provide admitted insurance.