Glossary Flashcards
abstract (summary)
n. resumen, sumario, extracto
accessory (assistant in a crime)
n. accesorio
accomplice (assistant in a crime)
n. cómplice
accusation (written charge)
n. acusación, denuncia
accused (defendant)
n. acusado
acquit (to decide as innocent, let free)
v. absolver, exogenar, exculpar
acquittal (clearing of a person from a charge;
finding the defendant not guilty)
n. absolución
action (lawsuit)
n. acción, proceso, acto
addict (someone who is addicted to drugs)
n. adicto
adjudicate (to judge)
v. ajudicar
adjudication (deciding of a case through
judicial or administrative hearing)
n. adjudicación
admissible (acceptable)
adj. admisible, aceptable
admission (disclosure of adverse facts)
n. admisión, confesión
adoption (legal process establishing a parental
relationship between adoptive parent and child
born of other parents)
n. adopción
advisement of rights (making a person aware of
their rights)
n. notificación de derechos
affidavit (official sworn statement)
n. declaración jurada, testimonio
affidavit of prejudice (sworn statement alleging
a potential judge is biased)
n. declaración jurada de prejuicio
agreement (mutual promises)
n. acuerdo, convenio
aid and abet (to assist in a crime)
v. ser
cómplice de, ayudar
alibi (defendant’s story of innocence when a
crime is committed, allegedly by another)
n. coartada, alibí
alien (foreign-born immigrant who is not
naturalized)
n. extranjero
alimony (support payment to divorced spouse)
n. pensión alimenticia
allegation (statement of fact the party intends to
prove)
n. alegación
alleged (asserted as a true fact, but not yet
proven)
adj. alegado
amend (to revise)
v. enmendar
amendment (modification of a document)
n. enmienda
answer (defendant’s formal document setting
out defense in a civil case)
n. contestación a la
demanda
appeal (a review of a case by a higher court); (to file a case in a higher court)
n.; v. apelación
appearance (party’s presence in court)
n. comparecencia
arbitration (judging of a dispute)
n. arbitraje
arraign (to formally advise defendant of the
charges at an initial court appearance)
v. acusar
arraignment (legal procedure to advise
defendant of the charges; initial court
appearance)
n. acusación, denuncia
arrest (law enforcement’s taking of a suspect
into formal custody)
n. arresto
arson (beginning a criminal fire)
n. incendio intencional
assault (attack on another person)
n. ataque, agresión
assault, aggravated (higher degree of assault)
n. asalto más grave, ataque agravado
assault with a deadly weapon (attacking a
person with a weapon that could potentially take
a life)
n. asalto con arma mortífera
assignee (counsel assigned to defendant)
n. apoderado, cesionario
at issue (in question; the issue being addressed)
adj. en cuestión, de lo que se está hablando
attest (to affirm under oath)
v. deposición, atestación
attorney (legal representative)
n. abogado, consejero, procurador
attorney of record (the person who has been
recorded in the case file as the counsel for that
case)
n. abogado que consta
authenticate (verify as authentic)
v. autentificar
auto tampering (to interfere or meddle with another’s automobile)
n. hacer modificaciones fraudulentas a un auto
bail (money or property given as security for the
release of a defendant awaiting trial)
n. fianza, caución
bail bondsman (person responsible hired to enforce the conditions of bail)
n. persona responsible de hacer cumplir las condiciones de la fianza
bail forfeiture (losing the money spent on bail because defendant violates the conditions of the bail)
n. pérdida del dinero usado para fianza por
haberse violado las condiciones de la fianza
bail review (official reconsideration of bail)
n. revisión de fianza
bailiff (officer of the court)
n. alguacil
bankruptcy (legal declaration of one’s inability
to pay debts)
n. bancarrota, quiebra
battery (physical attack on another person)
n. agresión
battery, spousal (physical attack on one’s
spouse)
n. agresión contra la pareja
bench (judge or court)
n. banco, tribunal
bias (prejudice)
n. parcialidad, predisposición, prejuicio
body attachment (official attachment of document to case file)
n. anexo oficial de un documento al archivo
bond (certificate of debt redeemable by court if
defendant fails to appear in court)
n. bono, obligación
booking number (identification number for case of person under arrest)
n. número del caso o del arrestado
brandishing a weapon (carrying a weapon in a
threatening manner)
n. llevar un arma en forma amenazadora
breaking and entering (illegally entering a
building)
n. allanamiento de morada
breathalyzer (breath test for alcohol)
n. análisis de aliento
bribe (an illegal offer of money, property or
services for another service)
n. soborno, mordida
brief (written summary of case)
n. alegato, resumen
burden of proof (legal requirement of
prosecution to prove the guilt of defendant)
n. obligación de prueba
burglary (theft, stealing)
n. robo, hurto
calendar, court (official scheduling calendar for
a particular court, usually scheduled by the court
clerk)
n. lista de pleitos, calendario judicial
capital punishment (death penalty)
n. pena capital
case (criminal or civil lawsuit)
n. caso, pleito
case of action (criminal or civil lawsuit)
n. denuncia criminal o civil
causation (a causing, something producing an
effect)
n. causativo, causante
certified (verified as authentic or accurate)
; (in possession of an official certificate which
identifies that its holder is qualified or
professional)
adj. certificado, titulado
chain of custody (order of parental relationships
to child)
n. cadena de custodia, resumen del
orden de las relaciones de los padres al hijo
challenge (to object to the qualifications of a
potential jury)
v. poner objeción, recusación
challenge for a cause (party’s challenge to
disqualify a potential juror)
n. recusación para
causa
chambers (judge’s office)
n. cámara, sala
charge (accusation; indictment)
n. acusación
child support (monetary responsibility to support child)
n. manutención de niño
circumstances, aggravating (fact or situation
which increases the degree of liability or
responsibility for a criminal act)
n. circunstancias agravantes
circumstances, mitigating (fact or situation
which does not justify or excuse an offense, but
does reduce the degree of liability or
responsibility and may also reduce the damages
[civil] or punishment [criminal])
n. circunstancias mitigantes
citation (official notice to appear in court,
especially in traffic court); (notation of legal authority)
n. citación, cita; n. notación de
autoridad legal
civil action (legal action relating to money or property)
n. juicio civil
claim (legal demand, complaint)
n. demanda
clerk (court official, judge’s administrative
assistant)
n. secretario del tribunal, oficial del
juzgado
collateral (property pledged to secure a debt,
e.g. bail)
n. resguardo, seguridad colateral
commissioner (public official with authority
over court room in initial appearances before
going to trial)
n. comisario, comisionado
commit (to institutionalize, e.g. to a mental
hospital); (to perpetuate, e.g. a crime)
v. internar (ej. en un hospital mental); v. cometer (ej. un crimen)
competency (legal capacity to stand trial)
n. aptitud, capacidad
complaint (written statement initiating a
criminal or civil action)
n. demanda, escrito de agravios
comply (to act as directed or ordered)
v. cumplir, obedecer
composite drawing (drawing of a suspect made
by a police artist, based on the description from
a witness)
n. dibujo hablado
confession (admission of guilt)
n. confesión
confiscate (governmental seizure of property)
v. confiscar
conflict of interest (reason a party to the case
might be too personally involved to provide
objective services)
n. conflicto de interés
consideration (benefit to promisor or detriment
to promise)
n. consideración
conspiracy (an unlawful plot, a plan to do
something illegal)
n. conspiración
constitutional right (a freedom guaranteed by the Constitution)
n. derecho constitucional
contempt of court (acting against the rules of
the court)
n. desacato al tribunal, rebeldía
continuance (rescheduling a legal proceeding
for a later date)
n. aplazamiento, continuación
convict (an individual who has been found
guilty and incarcerated); (to find a
defendant guilty of a crime)
n.convicto; v. condenar
conviction (finding of guilt in a criminal case)
n. convicción, fallo de culpabilidad
coroner (public officer who determines the
cause of death)
n. médico forense
corroborate (to verify)
v. corroborar, verificar
counsel (lawyer, legal representation); (to advise)
n. abogado; v. aconsejar
count (a numbered charge)
n. cargo
counterclaim (lawsuit by respondent in
response to initial lawsuit in a civil case)
n. contrademanda
counterfeit (to falsify)
v. falsificación
counterfeiting (falsifying)
n. falsificando
county jail (temporary place of incarceration until suspect released, put into prison, etc.)
n. cárcel del condado
court (place where trials and legal proceedings
occur)
n. tribunal, corte
