Legal Terms in Spanish, for non-lawyers: From Lawsuit to Verdict

Navigating legal terms in Spanish can be challenging, especially when unfamiliar with the terminology. That’s why we’ve put together this post, where we introduce many of the most important legal terms in Spanish. We’ll cover the main categories of legal proceedings, providing plenty of example sentences to illustrate how to use them in context.

Whether you’re just following a court case in Spanish or find yourself needing to participate in one, being equipped with the correct Spanish legal terms can make a significant difference in managing and comprehending legal matters.

Let’s dive in and learn all the basic legal terms in Spanish!

Common legal terms in Spanish

Knowing the most common legal terms in Spanish is essential for navigating the legal system. Here is a list of the essential Spanish legal terms in and around a courtroom.

• The hearing was postponed to next week. – La audiencia fue pospuesta para la próxima semana.

• The trial was suspended for lack of evidence. – El  juicio fue suspendido por falta de evidencia.

• The charges are not that serious because the crime was just a misdemeanor, not a felony. – Los cargos no son tan graves porque el crimen fue solo un delito menor, no un delito grave.

Courtroom participants in Spanish: Miembros de la Corte

Knowing who’s who in a courtroom is essential while interacting in the Spanish legal system. Each court member has a specific role that’s vital to the case’s development, so we list them all here.

Remember that everyone will address each other with usted, the formal you, rather than the informal tú.

• The defense attorney presented the evidence of the client to the jury. – El abogado defensor presentó la evidencia del cliente al jurado.

• The grand jury found the defendant guilty of the crime. – El gran jurado declaró culpable del crimen al acusado.

• The judge asked the plaintiff‘s attorney to call the witness. – El juez le pidió al abogado acusador que llamara al testigo.

Crimes in Spanish: Crímenes

Dealing with crimes is a major role of the legal system. Knowing the names for different crimes is essential to understanding what kind of offense someone is accused of.

Here are some of the most important crimes that may be seen in the legal system in Spanish.

• The plaintiff accused the defendant of embezzlement and fraud. El demandante acusó al demandado de malversación y fraude.

• The executive was arrested for tax evasion and extortion and could face a long prison sentence. – El ejecutivo fue arrestado por evasión de impuestos y extorsión y podría enfrentar una larga sentencia en prisión.

• The convict is in jail for drug trafficking and assault. – El convicto está en la cárcel por tráfico de drogas y asalto.

Common courtroom verbs in Spanish

It’s time to learn some common verbs used with other legal terms in Spanish.

Conclusion: Legal Terms in Spanish

The jury rendered its verdict, it’s time to finish this post!

We started today’s lesson with some general legal terms in Spanish, with words such as ley and audiencia. Then we explored the roles of courtroom participants like el juez and el fiscal, noting the importance of using usted when addressing them. Next we listed the names of important crimes in Spanish, from el fraude to el homicidio. We finished with a list of essential verbs used in court that are crucial for understanding and discussing legal actions.

By mastering this legal terminology in Spanish, you can feel more confident and prepared when dealing with legal issues in a Spanish-speaking environment. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or you find yourself needing to face the law in Spanish, this knowledge is key to engaging more effectively with the legal system.

We sure hope you don’t get into a situation where you need to know these legal terms in Spanish to defend yourself. We definitely recommend finding yourself a good bilingual lawyer for that! For some fundamental comprehension of what’s going on, however, at least you have the basics in today’s post!