Learning legal Spanish vocabulary is essential for anyone involved in the law field or interested in understanding legal documents in Spanish-speaking countries. Here we will explore some fundamental legal terms that could be very useful.
Abogado: This term translates to “lawyer” in English. It refers to a person who practices law, as an advocate, barrister, attorney, counselor or solicitor or chartered legal executive.
Mi hermano estudia para convertirse en abogado.
Demandado: This is the Spanish word for “defendant.” It refers to an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
El demandado no estuvo presente en la primera audiencia.
Derecho: Translates to “law” in English. It can refer to the study of law or to law as a system of rules that are created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior.
Ella obtuvo su título en Derecho el año pasado.
Juicio: This word means “trial” in English. It refers to a formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.
El juicio por robo se pospuso hasta marzo.
Fiscal: In legal terms, this translates to “prosecutor.” A fiscal is a legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system.
El fiscal presentó pruebas contundentes contra el acusado.
Testamento: This term means “will” as in a legal document by which a person expresses their wishes as to how their property is to be distributed at death, and names one or more persons, the executor, to manage the estate until its final distribution.
Mi abuelo dejó su casa a mi padre en su testamento.
Alegato: This translates to “pleading.” In legal terms, it is a formal statement setting out the facts and legal reasons a party urges a court to take.
El abogado presentó su alegato inicial en el juicio de hoy.
Indemnización: In English, this word translates to “compensation.” It refers to money claimed by or ordered to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury.
La empresa tuvo que pagar una gran indemnización por daños y perjuicios.
Contrato: This is the Spanish term for “contract.” A contract is a legally binding agreement which recognizes and governs the rights and duties of the parties to the agreement.
El contrato establece claramente las obligaciones de ambas partes.
Sentencia: This translates as “sentence” or “judgment.” It is the declaration made by the judge on the matters submitted to the court.
La sentencia será anunciada por el juez mañana.
Recusación: In English, this is known as “recusal,” which refers to the action of a judge or prosecutor being removed from a case for bias or interest.
El abogado solicitó la recusación del juez por posible conflicto de intereses.
Apelación: This means “appeal” in English. An appeal is a process in which cases are reviewed, where parties request a formal change to an official decision.
El abogado presentó una apelación contra la decisión del tribunal.
Código: This translates to “code,” referring to a systematic collection of laws and regulations.
El Código Penal ha sido modificado para incluir nuevas sanciones.
Delito: In English, this is referred to as “crime.” It is an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law.
El robo es considerado un delito grave en este país.
Prueba: This means “evidence” in English. In legal settings, evidence is used to determine the truth of the matter asserted.
La prueba clave en el caso fue la huella digital encontrada en la escena.
Learning these terms can significantly aid in understanding and participating in legal discussions in Spanish-speaking environments. Whether you are a law student, a professional in the legal field, or just someone interested in law, these terms are fundamental to grasping the basics of the legal systems in Spanish-speaking countries.
