Law terms are the specialized words and phrases used to describe legal concepts, procedures, roles, and documents. These terms are essential for understanding statutes, contracts, court proceedings, and discussions within the legal field.
Common Law Terms
Common law terms are the foundational words used across many areas of law to describe general legal principles and processes.
| English Singular | Spanish Singular | English Meaning | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| law | ley | a system of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions | The new law will take effect next month. | La nueva ley entrará en vigor el próximo mes. |
| court | tribunal | a place where legal cases are heard and decided | The case will be heard in the criminal court. | El caso se escuchará en el tribunal penal. |
| judge | juez | a public official who presides over court proceedings | The judge ruled in favor of the defendant. | El juez falló a favor del acusado. |
| lawyer | abogado | a person who practices or studies law | She hired a lawyer to review the contract. | Ella contrató un abogado para revisar el contrato. |
| defendant | acusado | a person accused of a crime or sued in a court | The defendant pleaded not guilty. | El acusado se declaró no culpable. |
| plaintiff | demandante | a person who brings a case against another in court | The plaintiff filed a lawsuit for damages. | El demandante presentó una demanda por daños. |
| contract | contrato | a written or spoken agreement that is legally binding | They signed a contract for the sale of the house. | Firmaron un contrato para la venta de la casa. |
| evidence | evidencia | information or objects used to prove something in court | The lawyer presented new evidence. | El abogado presentó nueva evidencia. |
| trial | juicio | a formal examination of evidence in court | The trial lasted three weeks. | El juicio duró tres semanas. |
| verdict | veredicto | the decision made by a judge or jury | The jury returned a guilty verdict. | El jurado emitió un veredicto de culpabilidad. |
Criminal Law Terms
Criminal law terms relate to crimes, offenders, and the processes involved in prosecuting and defending against criminal charges.
| English Singular | Spanish Singular | English Meaning | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| crime | delito | an act that is against the law | Theft is a serious crime. | El robo es un delito grave. |
| arrest | arresto | the act of detaining someone by legal authority | The police made an arrest last night. | La policía realizó un arresto anoche. |
| bail | fianza | money paid to release someone from custody before trial | He was released on bail. | Fue liberado bajo fianza. |
| felony | delito grave | a serious crime usually punishable by imprisonment | Murder is considered a felony. | El asesinato se considera un delito grave. |
| misdemeanor | delito menor | a minor crime with lighter penalties | He was charged with a misdemeanor. | Fue acusado de un delito menor. |
| sentence | sentencia | the punishment given by a court | The sentence was ten years in prison. | La sentencia fue de diez años en prisión. |
| parole | libertad condicional | conditional release from prison before completing a sentence | She was granted parole after five years. | Le concedieron la libertad condicional después de cinco años. |
| probation | libertad bajo palabra | a period of supervised freedom instead of jail time | He is on probation for six months. | Está en libertad bajo palabra por seis meses. |
| witness | testigo | a person who sees an event and can testify about it | The witness identified the suspect. | El testigo identificó al sospechoso. |
| jury | jurado | a group of people who decide the outcome of a trial | The jury found the defendant guilty. | El jurado declaró culpable al acusado. |
Civil Law Terms
Civil law terms deal with disputes between individuals or organizations, typically involving compensation or specific performance rather than criminal penalties.
| English Singular | Spanish Singular | English Meaning | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lawsuit | demanda | a legal case brought by one party against another | She filed a lawsuit for breach of contract. | Ella presentó una demanda por incumplimiento de contrato. |
| settlement | acuerdo | an agreement reached to resolve a dispute without a trial | They reached a settlement out of court. | Llegaron a un acuerdo fuera de los tribunales. |
| damages | daños | money awarded to compensate for loss or injury | He was awarded damages for the accident. | Se le otorgaron daños por el accidente. |
| negligence | negligencia | failure to take proper care resulting in damage or injury | The company was sued for negligence. | La empresa fue demandada por negligencia. |
| breach of contract | incumplimiento de contrato | failure to perform according to the terms of a contract | The breach of contract led to a lawsuit. | El incumplimiento de contrato llevó a una demanda. |
| plaintiff | demandante | the person who initiates a lawsuit | The plaintiff claims emotional distress. | El demandante reclama angustia emocional. |
| defendant | demandado | the person being sued in a civil case | The defendant denied all allegations. | El demandado negó todas las acusaciones. |
| injunction | mandato judicial | a court order that requires someone to do or stop doing something | The court issued an injunction to halt construction. | El tribunal emitió un mandato judicial para detener la construcción. |
| mediation | mediación | a process where a neutral third party helps resolve a dispute | They agreed to mediation instead of going to court. | Acordaron la mediación en lugar de ir a juicio. |
| arbitration | arbitraje | a private process where an arbitrator decides a dispute | The contract includes an arbitration clause. | El contrato incluye una cláusula de arbitraje. |
They reached a _____ out of court.
settlement
A 'settlement' is an agreement that resolves a dispute without a trial.
The _____ issued an injunction to halt construction.
court
A 'court' can issue an injunction, a legal order to act or stop acting.
Legal Roles and People
This section covers the titles and roles of individuals involved in the legal system.
| English Singular | Spanish Singular | English Meaning | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| judge | juez | a public official who presides over court cases | The judge listened to both sides. | El juez escuchó a ambas partes. |
| lawyer | abogado | a professional who represents clients in legal matters | The lawyer prepared the legal documents. | El abogado preparó los documentos legales. |
| attorney | abogado | another term for a lawyer, especially in the U.S. | The attorney advised her client. | El abogado asesoró a su cliente. |
| prosecutor | fiscal | a lawyer who brings charges in a criminal case | The prosecutor presented the evidence. | El fiscal presentó la evidencia. |
| defendant | acusado / demandado | the person accused in a criminal case or sued in civil court | The defendant appeared in court today. | El acusado apareció en el tribunal hoy. |
| plaintiff | demandante | the person who brings a lawsuit | The plaintiff seeks financial compensation. | El demandante busca una compensación económica. |
| witness | testigo | someone who gives testimony in court | The witness testified about the accident. | El testigo testificó sobre el accidente. |
| juror | miembro del jurado | a member of the jury | Each juror must be impartial. | Cada miembro del jurado debe ser imparcial. |
| clerk | secretario judicial | a court official who manages paperwork and schedules | The clerk organized the case files. | El secretario judicial organizó los expedientes. |
| bailiff | alguacil | a court officer who maintains order | The bailiff escorted the defendant. | El alguacil escoltó al acusado. |
Important Legal Documents
These are common types of documents you may encounter in legal contexts.
| English Singular | Spanish Singular | English Meaning | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| contract | contrato | a legally binding agreement between parties | They signed a contract yesterday. | Firmaron un contrato ayer. |
| will | testamento | a document stating how a person’s assets will be distributed after death | He wrote his will last year. | Escribió su testamento el año pasado. |
| deed | escritura | a legal document transferring property ownership | The deed was recorded at the registry. | La escritura se registró en el registro. |
| affidavit | declaración jurada | a written statement confirmed by oath for use as evidence | She submitted an affidavit to the court. | Presentó una declaración jurada al tribunal. |
| subpoena | citación | an order to appear in court or produce documents | He received a subpoena to testify. | Recibió una citación para testificar. |
| lawsuit | demanda | a formal legal complaint filed in court | The lawsuit alleges breach of contract. | La demanda alega incumplimiento de contrato. |
| summons | notificación judicial | a document ordering someone to appear in court | The summons arrived in the mail. | La notificación judicial llegó por correo. |
| power of attorney | poder notarial | a document authorizing someone to act on another’s behalf | She granted power of attorney to her son. | Le otorgó poder notarial a su hijo. |
| injunction | mandato judicial | a court order requiring a party to do or stop something | The injunction stopped the demolition. | El mandato judicial detuvo la demolición. |
| settlement | acuerdo | an agreement resolving a dispute without trial | The parties reached a settlement. | Las partes llegaron a un acuerdo. |
Legal Systems and Courts
This section explains terms related to how laws are organized and where cases are tried.
| English Singular | Spanish Singular | English Meaning | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| legal system | sistema legal | the structure and rules governing laws in a country | The legal system varies by country. | El sistema legal varía según el país. |
| common law | derecho común | a legal system based on judicial decisions and precedent | The U.S. follows the common law system. | EE.UU. sigue el sistema de derecho común. |
| civil law | derecho civil | a legal system based on written codes and statutes | Many countries use civil law traditions. | Muchos países usan tradiciones de derecho civil. |
| criminal court | tribunal penal | a court that handles criminal cases | The suspect was taken to criminal court. | El sospechoso fue llevado al tribunal penal. |
| civil court | tribunal civil | a court that handles non-criminal disputes | The case was filed in civil court. | El caso se presentó en el tribunal civil. |
| supreme court | corte suprema | the highest court in a jurisdiction | The supreme court ruled on the issue. | La corte suprema falló sobre el asunto. |
| appellate court | tribunal de apelación | a court that reviews decisions from lower courts | The case was appealed to the appellate court. | El caso fue apelado al tribunal de apelación. |
| jury | jurado | a group of citizens who decide the facts in a trial | The jury deliberated for hours. | El jurado deliberó durante horas. |
| arbitration | arbitraje | a private process for resolving disputes outside court | The contract requires arbitration. | El contrato exige arbitraje. |
| mediation | mediación | a process where a neutral third party helps resolve conflicts | They chose mediation to avoid a lawsuit. | Eligieron la mediación para evitar una demanda. |
The case was appealed to the _____ court.
appellate
An 'appellate court' reviews decisions made by lower courts.
They chose _____ to avoid a lawsuit.
mediation
'Mediation' involves a neutral third party helping resolve a dispute without going to court.
Conclusion
These are some of the most important law terms in English and Spanish. By studying them, you can improve your ability to understand and participate in legal discussions.
If you want to expand your legal vocabulary further, consider exploring specialized areas like corporate law, international law, or intellectual property.
Flashcards (1 of 60)
- English Singular: law
- English Meaning: a system of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions
- Example Sentence (English): The new law will take effect next month.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
