affidavit
(noun) a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court
example: "Looney rang the doorbell and handed the judge two affidavits and two arrest warrants" (14).
piquant
(adjective) pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind
example: "As with every Victorian, the house was gloriously unique. It had a piquant, provocative, engaging quality derived from an ingenuous, joyous, almost childlike bearing" (20).
crappie
(noun) a North American freshwater fish of the sunfish family, the male of which builds a nest and guards the eggs and young
example: "They ate quietly and discussed how the crappie were biting" (22).
defendant
(noun) an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law
example: "The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine if there is enough evidence that a crime has been committed to bind these defendants over to the grand jury. The defendants can even waive this hearing if they want to" (38).
hearsay
(noun) information received from other people that one cannot adequately substantiate; rumor
example: “Your Honor, please, I know hearsay is admissible in a hearing like this, but this is triple hearsay" (39).
acquittal
(noun) a judgement that a person is not guilty of the crime with which the person has been charged.
example: “Like I said, this ain’t New York or California. Some whites would admire you, but most would want to see you hang. It would be much harder to win an acquittal" (45).
malcontent
(adjective) dissatisfied and complaining or making trouble.
example: "At a younger age he had political ambitions, but the voters dissuaded him, and he was malcontent to exhaust his career prosecuting drunks, shoplifters, and juvenile delinquents, and being abused by Judge Bullard, whom he despised" (61).
exorbitant
(adjective) (of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high
example: "Bullard studied the trees outside the window as the sheriff and prosecutor exchanged winks. The bonds would be exorbitant, as always" (62).
adversary
(noun) one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute
example: “If you want to. He’s a good prosecutor and a worthy adversary. He just talks when he shouldn't" (93).
sanctimonious
(adjective) making a show of being morally superior to other people
example: "He was loud, abrasive, sanctimonious. His client was the people of the State of Mississippi, by God, and he took that obligation seriously" (95).
arraignment
(noun) the action of publicly calling someone forth in a court of law to answer to charges
example: “The arraignment. In a capital murder case, the judge is required by law to read the indictment to you in open court in front of God and everybody" (115).
prefatory
(adjective) serving as an introduction
example: “I have a few prefatory remarks,” Jake began. “First, all questions will be answered by me" (151).
carousing
(verb) drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way
example: "Gwen was tired of lying, and Lester was tired of carousing, and they were tired of each other" (154).
champerty
(noun) an illegal agreement in which a person with no previous interest in a lawsuit finances it with a view to sharing the disputed property if the suit succeeds
example: "This may come as a surprise to you, but in this state we have ethics and laws against soliciting litigation and clients. Champerty—ever hear of it?" (174).
trusty
(noun) a prisoner who is given special privileges or responsibilities in return for good behavior
example: "Jake waited in the Intoxilyzer room while a trusty went for the new client" (184).
benediction
(noun) the utterance or bestowing of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service
example: "Gwen and the kids would leave church after the benediction around three, and drive to the jail" (208).
affluent
(adjective) having a great deal of money; wealthy
example: "Now that he had an income he worried constantly about mortgages, the overhead, credit cards, and realizing the American dream of becoming affluent. Not wealthy, just affluent" (270).
teetotaler
(noun) a person who never drinks alcohol
example: “Hangover? I thought you were a teetotaler” (282).
culled
(verb) selected from a large quantity; obtained from a variety of sources; ruled out of consideration
example: "Following Noose’s specific instructions, they culled those over sixty-five" (288-289).
clout
(noun) influence or power
example: "He talked about the glory days when they were feared in Mississippi and had clout" (319).
