Spanish Legal Terminology Flashcards

Legal Terminology in Spanish

• Abstract: Refers to a summary or extract; translated as sumario, extracto, resumen.
• Accessory: Someone who assists in a crime; known as accesorio.
• Accomplice: An individual who helps another in committing a crime; termed cómplice.
• Affidavit: An official sworn statement; in Spanish, it's declaración jurada, testimonio.
• Accusation: A formal written charge against someone; referred to as acusación, denuncia.
• Agreement: A mutual promise or arrangement; translated as acuerdo, convenio.
• Accused: The person who is being charged in a legal proceeding; called acusado.
• Acquit: To declare a defendant not guilty and release them; translated as absolver, exonerar, exculpar.
• Acquittal: The finding of a defendant not guilty, termed absolución.
• Action: A lawsuit or legal proceeding; this can mean acción, proceso, acto in Spanish.
• Adjudicate: The act of judging or deciding a case; translated as adjudicar.
• Adjudication: The process of resolving a case through a legal hearing; termed adjudicación.
• Admissible: Something that is acceptable or permissible; in Spanish, it's admisible, aceptable.
• Admission: The act of disclosing adverse facts; referred to as admisión, confesión.
• Amendment: Modification or change of a document; known as enmienda.
• Advisement of Rights: The process of informing someone of their legal rights; termed notificación de derechos.
• Appeal: A legal request for a higher court to review a case; known as apelación.
• Attorney of Record: The lawyer officially recorded for a case; referred to as abogado que consta.
• Bail: Cash or property given to secure the release of a defendant awaiting trial; called fianza, caución.
• Bail Bondsman: The individual responsible for enforcing bail conditions; termed persona responsable de hacer cumplir las condiciones de la fianza.
• Counsel: Refers to a lawyer or legal advisor; in Spanish, it's abogado and the verb form is aconsejar.
• Complaint: A written statement initiating legal action; known as demanda, escrito de agravios.
• Counterclaim: A lawsuit filed by a respondent in response to an initial suit; called contrademanda.
• County Jail: A temporary facility for incarceration; referred to as cárcel del condado.
• Court: The venue where trials and legal actions occur; known as tribunal, corte.
• Defendant: The person accused in a trial; referred to as acusado, demandado.
• Docket: A list of cases pending before the court; termed orden del día, actas.
• Dismiss: To allow a case to be dropped or rejected; translated as desechar, denegar.
• False Imprisonment: The wrongful imprisonment of an innocent person; known as encarcelación ilegal.
• Felony: A serious crime, typically more significant than a misdemeanor; termed fechoría, felonía, crimen, delito.
• Examination, Cross: The questioning of a witness by the opposing party; referred to as contrainterrogatorio, repregunta.
• File: The compilation of records related to a legal case; known as archivo.
• Find Guilty: To judge someone as guilty of a crime; translated as juzgar culpable.
• Find Not Guilty: To judge someone as innocent; referred to as juzgar inocente.
• Exhibit: An item submitted as evidence; referred to as documento de prueba, exhibir.
• Exhibit, Defense's: Evidence presented by the defense; termed documento de prueba de la defensa.
• Exhibit, People's: Evidence submitted by the prosecution; referred to as documento de prueba del acusador.
• Fair Hearing: A just and proper legal hearing; called audiencia justa.
• Forfeit: A fine or loss of rights due to a crime; termed decomiso.
• Forgery: The act of creating a fake document or altering it; known as falsificación.
• Garnish: To legally withhold money from wages to satisfy a debt; translated as embargar.
• Good Cause: A valid reason in support of an action; expressed as motivo suficiente.