两个词中的“no case”直译的话是“无案件”，但在此处均不能直接这样译，因其在英美法中存在特定的含义。

no case 指的是起诉不成立；诉由不充分。这是民事诉讼中的被告在原告举证之后，或刑事诉讼中的被告人在公诉人举证之后提出的一项答辩，主张原告或公诉人的诉求或指控在法律上是不充分的，因此，即使其所举证据被采纳，作出支持原告主张或公诉人指控的裁决也是不适当和不合法的。在被告作出该答辩之后，承审法官将决定是否将案件提交陪审团。在治安法院中，被告也可作此种答辩。 No case submission is made when the defence considers that the prosecution case does not support a finding of guilt and that the court should dismiss the charge without the defence having to present a case. 

no case to answer指刑事诉讼中，在控诉方举证之后，被告方以指控不成立为由，请求法庭宣告其无罪。在下列两种情形下，被告方的这一请求成立：１所指控罪行的关键构成要件无证据予以证明；２控方提供的证据经交叉询问后证明是虚假的，或该证据明显不可信，以致任何理智的法庭都不会据以作出有罪的认定。除此之外，在控辩双方拟向法庭提供的证据均已全部出示之前，法庭不应作出定罪或宣告无罪的裁决。 No case for the defendant to answer (sometimes shortened to no case to answer) is a term in British criminal law, whereby a defendant seeks acquittal without having to present a defence. The motion is also occasionally, although rarely, used in civil cases where it is alleged that the pleaded case and/or evidence do not meet the minimum threshold to establish liability

这里的no case to answer其实就相当于美国法院的motion for a directed verdict 指示裁断申请动议，directed verdict指直接依案件承审法官的命令而对案件作出判决。在这种情况下，法官取代了陪审团作为事实认定者的角色，因为案件的证据非常具有说服力，据此只能合理地得出唯一的结论，或者案件的证据未能确立表面案件的成立〔establish a prima facie case〕。

一旦法官同意这一申请，则案件将被撤销，被告方将被无罪释放，无需承担进一步的举证责任。法官不接受这一申请的，案件继续审理，被告方需进行举证。If the judge agrees, then the matter is dismissed and the defendant is acquitted without having to present any evidence in their defence. If the judge does not accept the submission, the case continues and the defence must present their case.

以下为相关示例：

The court heard the submission of defence counsel that there was no case to answer. 

法院同意辩护律师的意见，被告无案可辩。

If it appears that the prosecution has failed to prove an essential element of the offence, or if its evidence has been discredited in cross-examination, there is no case to answer and the defence does not respond.

如果控方看来是无法证实该项罪行的某项要素，又或者控方的证据在盘问时站不住脚，那么 案件便会无须答辩而辩方亦不作出回应。