Spanish Legal Terms for Criminal Justice Professionals
Donde hay poca justicia es un peligro tener la razón.
Where there is little justice, it is dangerous to be right.
This quote is by the Spanish writer and poet Francisco de Quevedo who was born in Madrid in 1580 and died in Ciudad Real in 1645. Justice in the last 2,000 years has evolved into complicated legal systems in countries all over the world. If you’re a legal professional with a fascination for learning the Spanish terms of words you already know and use, then you’ve come to the right place.
This vocabulary guide will introduce you to basic legal terms in Spanish and even sentences to use in the courtroom.
Why Learn Legal Terms in Spanish?
If you happen to be a legal practitioner within the United States, you may have noticed that there’s a massive Spanish-speaking population at your reach.
According to Babbel.com, “Around 17 percent of the population in the United States speaks Spanish”—that is 55 million people!
Among them, 43 million are native Spanish speakers.
If we take Los Angeles, for example, of the almost 19 million inhabitants, 10 million speak Spanish (which is more than the whole population of the metropolitan area of Bogotá, Colombia!).
To lean into this market of Spanish speakers, you may want to brush up on your legal terms and meanings in Spanish.
PRO TIP! Always use the formal “you,” usted in court to address everyone around you, especially your clients and the judge. Learn more: Formal vs Informal Spanish
Basic Legal Terms in Spanish
Let’s begin with the basic legal terms in Spanish. A legal practitioner will be acquainted with the following words in this chart.
| English | Spanish |
| trial | el juicio |
| process | el proceso |
| sentence | la sentencia |
| felony | el delito (grave) |
| objection | la objeción |
| crime | el crimen |
| prison | la prisión |
| jail | la cárcel |
| legal hearing | la audiencia |
| charges | los cargos |
| infraction | la infracción |
| offense | la falta |
| oath | el juramento |
| evidence | la evidencia |
| proof | la prueba |
| case | el caso |
| fact | el hecho |
| opinion | la opinión |
| the bail | la fianza |
| parole | la libertad condicional |
Example Spanish Sentences
With these basic legal terms in your pocket and already mastered, let’s put some of them into practice with the following example sentences.
La audiencia comienza a las 10:30 de la mañana.
The legal hearing starts at 10:30 in the morning.
No puedo mentir, estoy bajo juramento.
I cannot lie, I am under oath.
El juez no ha resuelto el caso todavía.
The judge has not resolved the case yet.
Los cargos en su contra no son tan graves, eso es considerado una infracción, no un delito.
The charges against you are not that serious, that is considered an infraction, not a felony.
Ahora que el juicio ha sido resuelto, deberemos pagar una fianza para mantenerlo(a) fuera de prisión.
Now that the trial has been resolved, we must pay a bail to keep you out of prison.
El juez dictó una sentencia de 10 años sin derecho a libertad condicional.
The judge dictated a 10 year sentence without the possibility of parole.
Members of a Trial in Spanish
With some basic nouns in your briefcase, it’s time to add more advanced legal terminology in Spanish. After reading this you will be able to refer to the members present in a trial in two languages!
DID YOU KNOW? In some countries in Latin America, justice and sentences are not decided by juries like in the United States. Instead, three judges hear and evaluate the case, and these judges are called a tribunal.
| English | Spanish |
| lawyers | los (las) abogados(as) |
| defense attorney | el/la abogado(a) defensor |
| plaintiff attorney | el/la abogado(a) demandante |
| judge | el juez / la jueza |
| grand jury | el gran jurado |
| jury | el jurado |
| jurors | los miembros del jurado |
| the board (of judges)* | el tribunal |
| accused | el (la) acusado(a) |
| court clerk | el/la secretario(a) |
| court reporter | el taquígrafo |
| baliff | el/la alguacil(a) |
| client | el/la cliente |
| district attorney | el/la fiscal de distrito |
| attorney general | el/la fiscal general |
| witness | el/la testigo* |
| court interpreters | los intérpretes de la corte |
| victim | la víctima |
| victimizer | el victimario |
PRO TIP: According to RAE (Real Academia Española de la Lengua), it’s correct to use the term la jueza, meanwhile el/la testigo is an irregular noun, where it’s incorrect to say la testiga.
Example Spanish Sentences
El abogado defensor llegó tarde de nuevo.
The defense attorney arrived late again.
Los miembros del jurado deben ser estadounidenses.
The jurors must be Americans.
The bailiff is not supervising the jury.
El alguacil no está supervisando al jurado.
La víctima es un hombre de 45 años de edad.
The victim is a 45 year old male.
Mi cliente no responderá a esa pregunta, porque no es relevante para el caso.
My client will not answer to that question, because it is not relevant to the case.
La testigo que escogieron no está calificada para dar un testimonio oportuno.
The witness that you chose is not qualified to give an accurate testimony.
How to Refer to the Members of a Trial in Spanish
Knowing the names of the members of a trial in Spanish does not necessarily mean that you can refer to them using these words. You do not always call the judge “judge” do you? This list of legal terms will help you out.
| English | Spanish |
| Your Honor | su señoría |
| suspect | el sospechoso |
| witness for the defense | el (la) testigo de descargo |
| witness for the prosecution | el (la) testigo de cargo |
| accomplice | el (la) cómplice |
| victim advocate | el (la) defensor(a) de las víctimas |
| bail commissioner | el comisionado de fianzas |
| beneficiary | el beneficiario |
| chief referee | el jefe de árbitros |
| counselor | el (la) consejero(a) o el (la) asesor(a) |
| parties (plaintiff and defendant) | las partes interesadas |
| eye witness | el (la) testigo presencial |
| informant | el (la) informante |
| material witness | el (la) testigo esencial |
| petitioner | el (la) solicitante |
| prosecutor | el (la) fiscal |
| public defender | el (la) abogado(a) público(a) |
Parts of the Courtroom in Spanish
Every courtroom is different from one another. Some are fancy with wood-carved jury seats, a coat of arms in the back, and a national flag draped nearby. Others are simple, perhaps with concrete walls, plastic chairs, and office desks.
The following list refers to elements of a classic courtroom in the United States.
| English | Spanish |
| courthouse | el palacio de justicia |
| courtroom | la sala de justicia |
| flag | la bandera |
| stand | el estrado |
| chairs | las sillas |
| aisle | pasillo |
| jury box | la tribuna del jurado |
| judge’s bench | la tribuna del juez |
| spectator seating | los asientos para los espectadores |
| court clerk’s station | la estación de los(las) secretarios(as) judicial(es) |
| defendant’s table | la mesa del defensor |
| plaintiff’s table | la mesa del demandante |
| court reporter’s station | la estación del taquígrafo del tribunal |
| baliff’s station | el puesto del alguacil |
| jury room | el cuarto del jurado |
Example Spanish Sentences
El cuarto del jurado está en uso ahora.
The jury room is in use right now.
La banca del juez está vacía, el juicio está en receso.
The judge’s bench is empty, the trial is in recess.
La tribuna del jurado en esta sala de justicia es más pequeña de lo normal.
The jury box in this courtroom is smaller than normal.
Common Adjectives to Use with Legal Terms
Adjectives are a must in our vocabulary lists. Every professional benefits from improving their vocabulary with powerful adjectives that intensify their usage of legal terms, court words, or common legal phrases.
| English | Spanish |
| alleged | presunto(a) |
| valid | válido(a) |
| aforementioned | mencionado(a) o aludido(a) |
| aggravated | agravado(a) |
| charged | acusado(a) o imputado(a) |
| damaged | dañado(a) |
| affected | afectado(a) |
| paid | pagado(a) o retribuído(a) |
| denied | denegado(a) |
| convicted | convicto(a) |
| innocent | inocente |
| guilty | culpable |
| impounded | decomisado(a) o incautado(a) |
| mandatory | obligatorio(a) |
| verified | verificado(a) |
| qualified | calificado(a) |
| co-opted | cooptado(a) |
| (objection) overruled | no ha lugar la objeción |
| (objection) sustained | ha lugar la objeción |
PRO TIP! You can turn most of these adjectives into adverbs by adding the suffix -mente. For example, presunto (adjective) becomes presuntamente (adverb). If the suffix doesn’t work for the adjective, opt to use the expression de manera + adjective (in a ____ way). For example, de manera cooptada (in a co-opted way).
Example Spanish Sentences
Su vehículo ha sido incautado.
Your vehicle has been impounded.
Mi petición ha sido denegada.
My plea has been denied.
El sujeto ha sido dañado de manera irreparable.
The subject has been damaged in an irreparable way.
Mi cliente es completamente inocente y lo probaré.
My client is completely innocent and I will prove it.
(usted) No está calificado para hacer una acusación de ese tipo.
You are not qualified to make that kind of an accusation.
Spanish Verbs to Use in Court
A courtroom sees a lot of action, which is why it’s no surprise I have a list of actionable Spanish verbs to use in court. This is how justice comes to fruition!
to allege – alegar o protestar
to penalize – penalizar
to punish – castigar
to plead – declarar
to press charges – denunciar
to prosecute – procesar
to rule – dictaminar o fallar
to testify – testificar
to uphold – confirmar
to withdraw – retirar
to arrest – arrestar
to claim – alegar
to condone – pasar por alto
to contest – disputar, impugnar u objetar
to dismiss – desestimar
to expunge – cancelar
to object – objetar
to overrule – denegar o declarar sin lugar
to pass – aprobar
to appeal – apelar
Example Spanish Sentences
¿Quiere presentar cargos contra ellos?
Do you want to press charges against them?
El juez, finalmente, desestimó el caso.
In the end, the judge dismissed the case.
Probablemente, la juez declarará sin lugar la objeción.
The judge will probably overrule the objection.
La policía arrestó al sospechoso.
The police arrested the suspect.
El testigo tiene que declarar mañana a las tres*.
The witness has to testify tomorrow at three.
The attorney is prosecuting you.
El fiscal lo está procesando (a usted).
PRO TIP! In Spanish, to say el testigo testificará sounds very redundant, which is why it’s much better to say el/la testigo declarará.
Legal Terms for Crimes in Spanish
Part of being a criminal justice professional is knowing offenses and felonies, and maybe even their prison time. The following list shares some common crime vocabulary in Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
| altercation | el altercado |
| blackmail | el chantaje o la extorsión |
| breach of peace | la alteración de la paz |
| burglary | el allanamiento de morada |
| criminal contempt | el desacato criminal |
| inflammatory crimes | los delitos flagrantes |
| criminal mischief | los daños en la propiedad ajena |
| criminal offense | el delito penal |
| damages | los daños y perjuicios |
| desertion | la deserción |
| embezzlement | el desfalco o la malversación |
| tax evading | la evasión de impuestos |
| swindle | la estafa |
Practice Your Newly Acquired Spanish
Now that you have learned a ton of useful legal terminology in Spanish, it’s time to use them in real-time! Sign up for a free class to practice your Spanish conversation skills where our certified, native Spanish-speaking teachers can fill you with the confidence to take your fluency to the courtroom.
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