accusatorial
Charging with wrongdoing
Accusatorial describes a legal system where two opposing parties present their cases before a neutral judge or jury, who decides the outcome.
This contrasts with inquisitorial systems, where the judge actively investigates.
The term also describes anything resembling an accusation—an accusatorial tone, an accusatorial glare: Her questions took on an accusatorial edge.
Pursuing legal charges
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
witness · defendant · interrogation · trial · courtroom · inquisitorial · plaintiff · prosecutor
Assigning blame openly
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- reproachfulShowing blame or disappointment
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
recrimination · imputation · censure · faultfinding · culpability · denunciation · allegation · castigation
Actively opposed or hostile
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
- aggressiveHostile and confrontational
belligerent · adversarial · provocative · argumentative · challenging · attacking · pointed · sharp
Severely critical in judgment
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- condemningExpressing severe disapproval
- disapprovingExpressing unfavorable opinion
- reprovingExpressing blame or criticism
harsh · unforgiving · moralistic · sanctimonious · self-righteous · holier-than-thou · preachy · finger-wagging
prosecution
Pursuing legal charges
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
testimony · witness · defendant · interrogation · trial · courtroom · inquisitorial · plaintiff · prosecutor · questioning
finger-pointing
Assigning blame openly
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- reproachfulShowing blame or disappointment
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
condemnation · recrimination · imputation · censure · faultfinding · culpability · denunciation · allegation · castigation · rebuke
antagonistic
Actively opposed or hostile
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
aggressive · belligerent · adversarial · provocative · argumentative · challenging · attacking · pointed · sharp · harsh
censorious
Severely critical in judgment
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- condemningExpressing severe disapproval
- disapprovingExpressing unfavorable opinion
reproving · harsh · unforgiving · moralistic · sanctimonious · self-righteous · holier-than-thou · preachy · finger-wagging · scolding
accusatorialsupportive
Offering help and reassurance
conciliatory · defensive · exculpatory · amicable · friendly
accuse, accused, accusation, accuser, accusing, accuses, accusatory, accusative