Glossary of Legal Terminology

Spanish

English

Definition
A

absuelto

acquitted

to declare not guilty of a crime or

offense

acusado, (en
accused,
juicios
defendant
penales):procesa
do,
imputado,sindica
do

charged with a crime, wrongdoing,

fault

apelar

appeal

a request to higher authority for a

decision

acusacin

indictment

a formal charge of a crime

a statement or sign that something is
wrong

agravado

aggravated

any circumstance attending the

commission of a crime or tort which
increases its guilt or enormity or adds
to its injurious consequences, but
which is above and beyond the
essential constituents of the crime or
tort itself

aprovacin,
aceptacin

acceptance

the process or act of accepting

alegacin

allegation

a statement or claim made with little

or no proof

anulacin

annulment

a declaring that a contract, marriage,

or agreement is invalid

aprehensin,
arresto

arrest

is the act of depriving a person of his

or her liberty usually in relation to the
purported investigation or prevention
of crime and presenting (the
arrestee) to a procedure as part of
the criminal justice system

atestiguar

deposition

a statement under oath, taken down

in writing, to be used in court

agresin fsica

assult

an intentional act by one person that

creates an apprehension in another
of an imminent harmful or offensive
contact
B

bienes

assets

the total resources of a person or

business
all property available to pay debts
C

cmplice

accomplice

a person who knowingly helps

another in a crime

chantaje

bribery

the act or practice of giving or

accepting a bribe

corte

court

It is a tribunal, often a governmental

institution, with the authority to
adjudicate legal disputes between
parties and carry out the
administration of justice in civil,
criminal, and administrative matters
in accordance with the rule of law

calabozo

lockup

a small prison used to detain people

temporarily
D

delito

crime

an action considered harmful to the

public good and legally prohibited

desacreditacin

impeachment

to accuse (a public official) of

misconduct in office by bringing
charges before an appropriate court
or place of hearing
E

en cuestin

issue, at

a point in question or a matter that is

in dispute or may be argued about
because of its importance

evidencia

evidence

that which tends to prove or disprove

something;
proof
F

falsificacin

forgery

It is the process of making, adapting,

or imitating objects, statistics, or
documents with the intent to deceive

fianza

bail

money given to a court of law to

guarantee that a person released
from jail will return at an appointed
time

fraude

fraud

trickery carried out for profit or to gain

some unfair or dishonest advantage
H

homicidio

homicide

the killing of one human being by

another
L

ladrn ( de casa)

burglar

a person who commits burglary;

housebreaker
M

multa

fine

money imposed as a penalty for an

offense
O

obligatorio

mandatory

A mandate is the formal notice of

decision from an appeals court
P

presidiario

convict

to prove or declare (someone) guilty

of an offense, esp. after a legal trial
R

revocar

abrogate

to cancel or revoke formally or

officially; repeal; annul

rapto

abduction

to carry off (a person) illegally and by

force; kidnap

rehn

hostage

hostage is a person or entity which is

held by one of two belligerent parties
to the other or seized as security for
the carrying out of an agreement, or
as a preventive measure against
certain acts of war
T

testigo imporante material witness

a person who has witnessed

something, esp. one who is able to
declare what has taken place

testigo

see, hear, or know by personal

presence and experience

witness