{"id":143866,"date":"2024-03-15T01:54:53","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T05:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/spanish-legal-terms\/"},"modified":"2025-02-17T11:01:58","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T16:01:58","slug":"spanish-legal-terms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/spanish-legal-terms\/","title":{"rendered":"50 Common Legal Terms in Spanish"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter what part of the legal arena you favor, learning Spanish will help you.<\/p>\n

Sure, you might also need years of schooling in law, paralegal studies or a related field, but Spanish can be that extra skill that sets you apart\u2014sort of like the cherry on top of your legal sundae.<\/p>\n

But let’s get started the right way with 50 common terms<\/strong> every legal professional needs to know!<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Common Spanish Legal Terms<\/h2>\n

1. Abogado\/Abogada <\/em>\u2014 attorney\/lawyer<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El abogado<\/strong> fue contratado por el acusado por su experiencia en este tipo de casos. <\/em>\u2014 The lawyer was hired by the defendant for his experience in these types of cases.<\/p>\n

2. Acusado\/Acusada<\/em> \u2014 state of being accused or the person who is accused (the defendant)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Usted est\u00e1 acusada<\/strong> de perjurio.<\/em> \u2014 You’re accused of perjury.<\/p>\n

El acusado<\/strong> solo habl\u00f3 para confirmar su nombre completo.<\/em> \u2014 The defendant only spoke to confirm his full name.<\/p>\n

3. Admisible\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 admissible<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It’s often used in phrases like ser admisible\u00a0<\/em>(“to be admissible”) and prueba admisible\u00a0<\/em>(“admissible evidence”).<\/p>\n

El abogado pensaba que las pruebas ser\u00edan admisibles<\/strong>.<\/em> \u2014 The lawyer thought that the evidence would be admissible.<\/p>\n

4. Declaraci\u00f3n jurada<\/em>\/Afid\u00e1vit <\/em>\u2014 affidavit<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El polic\u00eda que redact\u00f3 la declaraci\u00f3n jurada<\/strong> compareci\u00f3 en el tribunal mediante una videollamada.<\/em> \u2014 The police officer who wrote the affidavit appeared in court via video call.<\/p>\n

5. Archivo\/Expediente<\/em> \u2014 archive,\u00a0file or record<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El abogado llevaba un expediente<\/strong> grande que conten\u00eda las pruebas del acusado. <\/em>\u2014 The lawyer was carrying a large file that contained the defendant’s evidence.<\/p>\n

6. Arresto\/Detenci\u00f3n<\/em> \u2014 (an) arrest\/detention<\/strong><\/h3>\n

La polic\u00eda local confirm\u00f3 el arresto<\/strong> del principal sospechoso.<\/em> \u2014 The local police confirmed the arrest of the main suspect.<\/p>\n

7. Carga de la prueba\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 burden of proof<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El abogado habl\u00f3 con su cliente sobre la carga de la prueba<\/strong>. <\/em>\u2014 The lawyer spoke to his client about the burden of proof.<\/p>\n

8. Causa\/Proceso judicial\/Pleito\/Acci\u00f3n judicial\/Caso<\/em> \u2014 court case<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Generally, all these terms are frequently used interchangeably to refer to a “court case.”<\/p>\n

However, context is really important because some of these terms have more than one meaning. Proceso\u00a0judicial <\/em>and\u00a0pleito\u00a0<\/em>are the least likely to be misinterpreted, though, because they have fewer meanings. Acci\u00f3n\u00a0judicial\u00a0<\/em>means “legal action.”\u00a0Pleito\u00a0<\/em>usually means “lawsuit” or “action.”<\/p>\n

El proceso judicial<\/strong> estaba programado para comenzar en cuatro meses.<\/em> \u2014\u00a0The judicial process was due to start in four months.<\/p>\n

Juan decidi\u00f3 emprender acciones legales<\/strong> contra su ex amigo.<\/em> \u2014\u00a0Juan decided to take legal action against his former friend.<\/p>\n

El hombre estaba seguro de que su pleito<\/strong> era fuerte.<\/em> \u2014\u00a0The man was confident that his lawsuit was strong.<\/p>\n

All the other words for “court case”\u00a0have additional meanings. For instance,\u00a0causa\u00a0<\/em>can also mean “cause,”\u00a0proceso\u00a0<\/em>also means “process” or “trial” and caso\u00a0<\/em>can mean “case” or “fact.”<\/p>\n

El informe policial no pudo determinar la causa<\/strong> del accidente.<\/em> \u2014 The police report couldn’t determine the cause of the accident.<\/p>\n

El juez explic\u00f3 que el proceso<\/strong> ser\u00eda largo. <\/em>\u2014 The judge explained that the trial would be long.<\/p>\n

No estaban preparados y no pudieron defender su caso<\/strong> en el tribunal.<\/em> \u2014 They were unprepared and unable to fight their case in court.<\/p>\n

9. Crimen<\/em>\/Delito <\/em>\u2014 legal violation or crime<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Note that in some Spanish-speaking countries<\/a>, like Spain, the term used will depend on the severity of the crime. A\u00a0delito<\/em> would be a minor crime whereas a crimen<\/em> is more serious.<\/p>\n

El acusado fue citado a comparecer ante el tribunal por su crimen<\/strong>.<\/em> \u2014 The defendant was summoned to appear before the court for his crime.<\/p>\n

10. Da\u00f1os y perjuicios\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 damages<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El abogado inform\u00f3 a la acusada que ten\u00eda derecho a indemnizaci\u00f3n por da\u00f1os y perjuicios<\/strong>. \u2014<\/em> The defendant was told by the lawyer that she was entitled to damages and losses.<\/p>\n

11. Delictivo\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 criminal (adjective)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It’s usually used to describe various acts. For instance, acto delictivo\u00a0<\/em>means “criminal act.”<\/p>\n

El tribunal dictamin\u00f3 que el acusado hab\u00eda cometido un acto delictivo<\/strong>. <\/em>\u2014 The court ruled that the defendant had committed a criminal act.<\/p>\n

12. Demandante\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 petitioner, complainant or plaintiff<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El demandante<\/strong> habl\u00f3 con su abogado antes de entrar al juzgado.<\/em> \u2014 The plaintiff spoke with his lawyer before entering the courthouse.<\/p>\n

13. Determinaci\u00f3n\/Sentencia\/Decisi\u00f3n\/Fallo<\/em> \u2014 ruling<\/strong><\/h3>\n

All of these terms can be used to mean “ruling” in Spanish.<\/p>\n

Fallo<\/em>\u00a0most literally means “ruling.”\u00a0Determinaci\u00f3n\u00a0<\/em>more literally equates to “determination.” Sentencia<\/em> means “sentence” and decisi\u00f3n\u00a0<\/em>means “decision.”<\/p>\n

Las personas en la sala de justicia esperaban ansiosamente el fallo<\/strong>.<\/em> \u2014 The people in the courtroom anxiously waited for the ruling.<\/p>\n

La determinaci\u00f3n<\/strong> del jurado fue r\u00e1pida y un\u00e1nime.<\/em> \u2014\u00a0The jury’s determination was quick and unanimous.<\/p>\n

Despu\u00e9s de una cuidadosa consideraci\u00f3n, el juez pronunci\u00f3 la sentencia<\/strong>.<\/em> \u2014\u00a0After careful consideration, the judge delivered the sentence.<\/p>\n

La decisi\u00f3n<\/strong> se bas\u00f3 en todas las pruebas.<\/em> \u2014\u00a0The decision was based on all of the evidence.<\/p>\n

14. Fianza\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 bail\/bond<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El acusado quer\u00eda que se redujera la fianza<\/strong> a mil d\u00f3lares.<\/em> \u2014 The defendant wanted the bail to be lowered to a thousand dollars.<\/p>\n

15. Hecho\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 fact<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Es un hecho<\/strong> que el acusado estaba en el banco en el momento del robo.<\/em> \u2014 It is a fact that the defendant was in the bank at the time of the robbery.<\/p>\n

Hecho<\/i> can also mean “incident,” “event,” “made” or “done,” so always pay attention to context.<\/p>\n

16. Infracci\u00f3n\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 infraction or offense<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is used when referring to things like traffic violations or other non-violent crimes.<\/p>\n

El juez lo mult\u00f3 por su infracci\u00f3n<\/strong> de tr\u00e1fico. <\/em>\u2014 The judge fined him for his traffic violation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

17. Juez\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 judge (noun)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El juez<\/strong> lo conden\u00f3 a un a\u00f1o de c\u00e1rcel por el crimen que hab\u00eda cometido.<\/em> \u2014 The judge sentenced him to a year in prison for the crime he had committed.<\/p>\n

18. Juicio\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 trial <\/strong><\/h3>\n

It can also be used to mean “opinion.”<\/p>\n

Se espera que el juicio<\/strong> atraiga mucha atenci\u00f3n, por lo que habr\u00e1 una mayor presencia policial en el exterior.<\/em> \u2014 The trial is expected to draw a lot of attention, so there will be a larger police presence outside.<\/p>\n

19. Jurado\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 jury or individual jurors<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El jurado<\/strong> tuvo que confirmar que no conoc\u00eda al acusado antes de que comenzara el juicio. <\/em>\u2014 The jury had to confirm that they didn’t know the defendant before the trial began.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It can also act as an adjective, meaning “sworn” when referring to things like statements or testimony like declaraci\u00f3n jurada<\/em>.<\/p>\n

20. Juramento\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 oath<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Bajo juramento\u00a0<\/em>therefore means “under oath” or “sworn.”<\/p>\n

Puede que necesites prestar juramento<\/strong> en la sala del tribunal.<\/em> \u2014 You may need to take an oath in the courtroom.<\/p>\n

21. Ley\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 law<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It can refer to specific laws or the law in general.<\/p>\n

La nueva ley<\/strong> fue aprobada por el gobierno en enero.<\/em> \u2014 The new law was passed by the government in January.\u00a0<\/p>\n

22. Mandato<\/em>\/Mandato judicial<\/em>\/Orden judicial<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 mandate\/warrant\/court order<\/strong><\/h3>\n

All of these terms can be used to refer to an order given by a court.<\/p>\n

Hay muchos tipos de mandatos<\/strong> judiciales<\/strong>. <\/em>\u2014 There are many types of court orders.<\/p>\n

23. Multa\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 fine\/fee<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El juez orden\u00f3 al acusado pagar una multa<\/strong> de dos mil d\u00f3lares por su delito. <\/em>\u2014 The judge ordered the defendant to pay a fine of two thousand dollars for his crime.<\/p>\n

24. Palacio de justicia\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 courthouse<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u00a0<\/em>literally means “palace\/center of justice” (which really has more of a ring to it).<\/p>\n

El juez habl\u00f3 con el jurado en el palacio de justicia<\/strong> antes de que comenzara el juicio.<\/em> \u2014 The judge spoke with the jury at the courthouse before the trial began.<\/p>\n

25. Pedimento\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 motion\/petition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Despu\u00e9s de hablar con su acusado, la abogada present\u00f3 un pedimento<\/strong>.<\/em> \u2014 After speaking to her defendant, the lawyer filed a motion.<\/p>\n

26. Prueba\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 evidence<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It can also mean “proof” or “test.”<\/p>\n

El abogado present\u00f3 las pruebas<\/strong> ante el tribunal y demostr\u00f3 que su cliente no era culpable. <\/em>\u2014 The lawyer presented the evidence to the court and proved his client was not guilty.<\/p>\n

27. Polic\u00eda\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 the police force as a group\u00a0or individual officers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El polic\u00eda<\/strong> fuera de servicio fue testigo del delito y tuvo que asistir al tribunal.<\/em> \u2014 The off-duty police officer witnessed the crime and had to attend court.<\/p>\n

28. Sala de justicia\/Tribunal<\/em> \u2014 courtroom<\/strong><\/h3>\n

These\u00a0can both be used to mean \u201ccourtroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can also just use the word\u00a0sala\u00a0<\/em>(room), but this could\u00a0also be misinterpreted, so you might want to play it safe.<\/p>\n

La familia del acusado decidi\u00f3 sentarse fuera de la sala de justicia<\/strong>.<\/em> \u2014 The defendant’s family decided to sit outside of the courtroom.<\/p>\n

29. Testigo\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 witness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

La declaraci\u00f3n escrita del testigo<\/strong> fue le\u00edda en el tribunal. <\/em>\u2014 The witness’s written statement was read out to the court.<\/p>\n

30. Tribunal\/Juzgado<\/em> \u2014 court<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tribunal\u00a0<\/em>can also refer to a jury or panel, but this meaning is rarely used in a legal context\u2014jurado\u00a0<\/em>is the more common word for a legal jury.\u00a0Juzgado\u00a0<\/em>can also mean “courthouse.”<\/p>\n

El juzgado<\/strong> era uno de los m\u00e1s antiguos del pa\u00eds.<\/em> \u2014 The court was one of the oldest in the country.<\/p>\n

Common Legal Verbs<\/h2>\n

31. Absolver\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 to acquit<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El juez lo declar\u00f3 no culpable y lo absolvi\u00f3<\/strong> de los cargos.<\/em> \u2014 The judge declared him innocent and acquitted him of the charges.<\/p>\n

In other contexts, it means “to absolve.”<\/p>\n

32. Asesorar<\/em>\/Asesorar <\/em>\u2014 to advise<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Asesorar<\/em> means “to advise” as in “to give professional guidance.” When you mean “to give personal advice,” though, you should use aconsejar<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mi abogado me asesor\u00f3<\/strong> sobre mis opciones legales. <\/em>\u2014 My lawyer advised me on my legal options.<\/p>\n

El juez le aconsej\u00f3<\/strong> que fuera honesto durante el juicio. <\/em>\u2014 The judge advised him to be honest during the trial.<\/p>\n

33. Acusar\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 to accuse<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In a legal context, acusar<\/em> can also mean “to charge.” The reflexive,\u00a0acusarse,\u00a0<\/em>can also mean “to confess.”<\/p>\n

El juez explic\u00f3 el razonamiento para acusar<\/strong>lo del delito.<\/em> \u2014 The judge explained the reasoning for charging him with the crime.<\/p>\n

34. Alegar\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 to allege\/claim<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El acusado aleg\u00f3<\/strong> que estaba trabajando cuando sucedi\u00f3, pero lo vieron en las c\u00e1maras de vigilancia. \u2014<\/em> The defendant claimed that he was working when it happened, but they saw him on the surveillance cameras.<\/p>\n

35. Apelar\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 to appeal<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Aunque el acusado no estuvo de acuerdo con la decisi\u00f3n del tribunal, decidi\u00f3 no apelar<\/strong> y acept\u00f3 pagar la multa de estacionamiento. <\/em>\u2014 While the defendant didn’t agree with the court’s decision, he decided against appealing and agreed to pay the parking fine.<\/p>\n

36. Arrestar\/Detener<\/em> \u2014 to arrest\/detain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Both of these verbs mean “to arrest.”<\/p>\n

La polic\u00eda se disculp\u00f3 despu\u00e9s de que un hombre fue detenido<\/strong> por error al ser confundido con otra persona.<\/em> \u2014 The police apologized after a man was arrested after being mistaken for someone else.<\/p>\n

37. Comparecer<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 to appear (in court)<\/h3>\n

El acusado compareci\u00f3<\/strong> ante el tribunal junto a su abogado. <\/em>\u2014 The defendant appeared in court alongside his lawyer.<\/p>\n

38. Confesar<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 to confess<\/h3>\n

El acusado confes\u00f3<\/strong> su crimen y recibi\u00f3 una sentencia m\u00e1s leve. <\/em>\u2014 The defendant confessed his crime and received a lighter sentence.<\/p>\n

39. Declararse<\/em> \u2014 to plead<\/h3>\n

El acusado anunci\u00f3 al tribunal que hab\u00eda cambiado su declaraci\u00f3n inicial y se declar\u00f3 <\/strong>culpable. <\/em>\u2014 The defendant announced to the court that he had changed his initial plea and pleaded guilty.<\/p>\n

40. Defender<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 to defend<\/h3>\n

Era la primera vez que el abogado defend\u00eda<\/strong> a un cliente en este tipo de caso legal. <\/em>\u2014 It was the first time that the lawyer defended a client in this type of legal case.<\/p>\n

41. Demandar<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 to sue<\/h3>\n

El actor demand\u00f3<\/strong>\u00a0a la empresa por usar su imagen para promocionar sus productos sin permiso. <\/em>\u2014 The actor sued the company for using his image to promote their products without permission.<\/p>\n

42. Dictaminar<\/em>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0to rule<\/h3>\n

El juez dictamin\u00f3<\/strong> que el acusado hab\u00eda puesto en riesgo a otros y lo prohibi\u00f3 conducir durante dos a\u00f1os como consecuencia.<\/em> \u2014 The judge ruled that the defendant had put others at risk and banned him from driving for two years as a consequence.<\/p>\n

43. Entrar en vigor\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 to take effect<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Literally translates as “to enter in vigor\/force.”<\/p>\n

El acusado quebrant\u00f3 una nueva ley que entr\u00f3 en vigor<\/strong> el a\u00f1o pasado.<\/em> \u2014 The defendant broke a new law that came into effect last year.<\/p>\n

44. Investigar\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 to investigate<\/strong><\/h3>\n

La polic\u00eda investig\u00f3<\/strong> el crimen y reuni\u00f3 pruebas para el juicio.<\/em> \u2014 The police investigated the crime and gathered evidence for the trial.<\/p>\n

45. Juzgar<\/em> \u2014 to try (in court)<\/h3>\n

Debido a una emergencia m\u00e9dica, el acusado no ser\u00e1 juzgado<\/strong> hasta el verano.<\/em> \u2014 Due to a medical emergency, the defendant will not be tried until the summer.<\/p>\n

46. Probar<\/em> \u2014 to prove<\/h3>\n

Despu\u00e9s de investigar casos similares, se prob\u00f3<\/strong> que el hombre hab\u00eda sido incriminado.<\/em> \u2014 After investigating similar cases, it was proven that the man had been framed.<\/p>\n

47. Revelar\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 to reveal<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Las pruebas revelaron<\/strong> la inocencia del acusado.<\/em> \u2014 The evidence revealed the innocence of the defendant.<\/p>\n

In a legal context, its meaning is closer to “to disclose.”<\/p>\n

48. Sentenciar\/Condenar<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To sentence<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El juez regres\u00f3 a la sala del tribunal para sentenciar<\/strong> al acusado.<\/em> \u2014 The judge returned to the courtroom to sentence the defendant.<\/p>\n

49. Sobreseer\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 <\/strong>to dismiss<\/strong><\/h3>\n

El tribunal inform\u00f3 al acusado que el caso hab\u00eda sido sobrese\u00eddo<\/strong>.<\/em> \u2014 The court informed the defendant that the case had been dismissed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

50. Testificar<\/em>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/strong>to testify\/give evidence (in court)<\/h3>\n

El juez solicit\u00f3 que la esposa del acusado testificara<\/strong> ante el tribunal.<\/em> \u2014 The judge requested that the defendant’s wife testify before the court.<\/p>\n

Why Learn Spanish Legal Terms?<\/h2>\n

If you’re looking for a career as a legal secretary, paralegal, translator or lawyer, knowing Spanish legal terms will increase your job prospects<\/strong>. Whether you want to work with Spanish-speaking clients or work in international law, your knowledge of Spanish will come in handy. Even if a job doesn’t require it, it’s still a skill that many employers covet.<\/p>\n

Learning Spanish legal terms will also increase the number of people you can serve<\/strong>. Even if a client speaks fluent English, he\/she may be more comfortable communicating in Spanish. After all, legal proceedings are always stressful, and in times of stress, it’s easiest to speak in the language you’re most comfortable with.<\/p>\n

Therefore, many clients may seek out legal professionals who can speak their language. If your firm doesn’t offer\u00a0services in Spanish, these clients may seek out another that does. However, if you’re willing to learn, your law firm can start marketing to Spanish-speaking customers<\/a>, who make up a sizable chunk of the population. This can massively increase the number of clients who may be interested in your services.<\/p>\n

Additionally, learning Spanish legal terms will allow you to help people that many other legal professionals cannot help<\/strong>. Clear communication is important, so clients who do not speak English fluently will need someone who can communicate with them in order to navigate through the criminal justice process.<\/p>\n

Finally, learning Spanish legal terms is useful for anyone learning Spanish<\/strong>. After all, you’re likely to hear these terms if you watch Spanish-language news. Plus, if you ever find yourself in legal trouble while abroad, even if it’s just a parking ticket, you’ll be super relieved you took the time to learn a little legal Spanish.<\/p>\n

How You Can Practice Spanish Legal Terms<\/h2>\n

As you become more proficient, try to use these words every chance you get.<\/p>\n

Your understanding of the word will increase as you utilize it in context and your fluency will increase as you use complete sentences. See example sentences with these words using online tools like Linguee<\/a>\u00a0or 123 Teach Me<\/a>\u00a0and their “Spanish Sentence Maker.”\u00a0These websites collect sentences from all over the internet that contain\u00a0your keyword\u00a0and are invaluable\u00a0as you continue on your journey to learning Spanish legal terminology.<\/p>\n

For a better grasp on general Spanish, consider a virtual immersion program, which will help you get acclimated to the rapid speech that natives often use (particularly when in stressful situations, like\u2026needing your services!). FluentU<\/a>, for example, sorts its video lessons by subject matter, which can make efficient targeted practice easier.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

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