UNIT 1: Basic legal terms

Plaintiff: Is the person who initiates a lawsuit

(Demanda judicial)

Complaint: (queja)

a statement that a situation is unsatisfactory or unacceptable.

Court: (corte, tribunal etc.)

A court is an institution that the government sets up to settle disputes through a

legal process. People come to court to resolve their disagreements.

Defendant: (el acusado, demandado etc.)

The defendant in a lawsuit is the person against whom the action is brought, by the
plaintiff.

Attorneys/lawyer/advocate: (Abogados)

A person admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction and authorized to

perform criminal and civil legal functions on behalf of clients.

Paralegal: (asistente)

A paralegal is an individual, qualified by education, training or work experience,

who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental
agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal
work for which a lawyer is responsible.

Jury: (jurado)

A jury consists of twelve ordinary citizens who are able to apply their common-
sense to the matter of determining the guilt or innocence of someone accused of
an offence. The basis for a twelve person jury is that it is a representative cross
section of the local community and therefore are more likely to judge in line with
generally accepted values of the society.

Verdict: The decision of a jury is called a verdict.

Judge: A judge is an appointed or elected magistrate who presides over court

proceedings. A judge rules on questions of law acts as a referee between the
litigating parties and renders decisions in legal disputes.
Legal system: sistema legal de un país, este es el método para interpretar las
leyes y ponerlas en práctica.

UNIT 2: Basic legal concepts

Settle: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their dispute without having a trial, often involve
the payment of compensation by one party in at least partial satisfaction of the
other party's claims

Damages: Money that a defendant pays a plaintiff in a civil case if the plaintiff has
won. Damages may be compensatory (for loss or injury) or punitive (to punish and
deter future misconduct).

Trial: A legal process to decide if someone has committed a crime.

Appeal: A request made after a trial by a party that has lost on one or more issues
that a higher court review the decision to determine if it was correct. To make such
a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal.

Proof:

-A fact or piece of information that shows that something exists or is true

-A fact by the use of evidence. Anything that can make a person believe that a fact
or proposition is true or false.

Due process: In criminal law, the constitutional guarantee that a defendant will
receive a fair and impartial trial. In civil law, the legal rights of someone who
confronts an adverse action threatening liberty or property.

Dispute: disputa (esta es un desacuerdo o conflicto)

Legal action: acción legal (es lo que utilizan los abogados y el sistema legal para
solucionar un problema)

Initiate: inicidado (esto es comenzar un proceso)

Lawsuit: demanda judicial (este es una acción legal que una persona o varias
presentan a un tribunal contra otro)

UNIT 3: Legal resources

Resources
Recurso (persona o cosa que da información o ayuda)
Primary materials
Traducción: materias primas o primarias
Law
Traducción: leyes

Legal encyclopedias:
Traducción: enciclopedias legales

Digests
Traducción: resumen

Cite
Traducción: citas

Reference: referencia (es un documento, una referencia son los detalles sobre un
libro y su autor que se usaron para ayudar a escribir de el)

Case annotations: anotaciones del caso (son las anotaciones de casos, son
artículos sobre casos legales individuales)

Form books: libros de formularios (son una colección de formularios y

documentos que se requieren o recomiendan)

Journals: revistas (revista académica que presenta artículos formales)

Computerized databases: base de datos computarizados

UNIT 10: COURT ETIQUETTE

Rules in court:

-turn off your mobile phone

-don’t eat, drink or chew gum

-don’t smoke in the courthouse

-sit quietly—don’t talk, comment or make noise if you are watching from the public
gallery
Bailiff is a law enforcement officer charged with maintaining peace and security in
a courtroom. Bailiffs are the ones who typically announce “all rise” as the judge
enters and leaves the courtroom.

Sworn in, it`s evidence given by a witness who has made a commitment to tell
the truth.

The oath is a solemn declaration and, if not followed, can result in legal liability for
the person testifying

Perjury is the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to

tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official
proceeding.

The bench is not a chair, but the large desk behind which a judge sits at the front
of a courtroom.

Off the record refers to a conversation not being transcribed as part of the record
of the proceedings. Because the conversation is not to be heard by jurors and
recorded, the conversation may be said to be off the record. It is not transcribed by
the court reporter and made part of the trial record.

In the court room

Clerk of the court: empleado del tribunal (es una persona que ayuda al juez
tomando nota o administrando)

Jury box: tribuna del jurado (físicamente es el lugar donde está sentado todo el
jurado)

Bailiff: sheriff (en los juicios se podría decir estatales es un sheriff, y en los
federales es un US MARSHALS)

Defense: defensa (la encargada de defender, trata de ganar el caso, se plantea

de la mejor manera para para poder tener un excelente juicio)

Prosecution: proceso de enjuiciamiento (en este se empiezan los procedimientos

penales, es la institución que continua con la demanda)

Presides: presidir (en este caso significa el que lleva el control, el que dirije en el
tribunal, “el juez”)

Proceeding: proceder (a una serie de actividades o eventos, acontecimientos)

Court reporter: reportero de la corte (esta persona es la que escribe todo los que
se dice en la sala)
Jurors: jurados (personas seleccionadas que deciden si la persona es culpable o
inocente)

Court process
Pre- trial hearing: audiencia preliminar

Arraignment: lectura de cargos

Charged: acusar (acusar a alguien formalmente de un crimen)

Plea bargain: acuerdo de culpabilidad

Acquitted: absolver (absolver a alguien significa decidir oficialmente que alguien

no es culpable de un crimen)

Discovery: descubrimiento (es cuando un abogado solicita y examina información

sobre un caso del abogado de lado opuesto)

Suppress: suprimir (suprimir pruebas significa evitar que otras personas lo vean o
lo usen)

Hung jury: jurado colgado (es un jurado que no puede ponerse de acuerdo sobre
si alguien es culpable o inocente

Mistrial: juicio nulo (es un juicio en el que no se toma una decisión o en el que el
juicio se declaró inválido debido a errores legales)

UNIT 11: Criminal Law

Punish: To cause someone who has done
something wrong or committed a crime to suffer, by hurting them, forcing them to
pay money, sending them to prison, etc.

Commit crimes: Is basically when one person do something bad (illegal activities)
and had one punish for that.

Tresspasing: Trespass is defined by the act of knowingly entering another

person’s property without permission.

Fine: A fine is money that a court of law decides has to be paid as punishment for
a crime or other offence.

Probation: a period of time when a criminal must behave well and not commit any
more crimes in order to avoid being sent to prison.
Offend: to cause to be upset or to hurt the feelings of someone, by being rude or
showing a lack of respect.

Jail: a place where criminals are kept as punishment for their crimes or
while waiting for trial.

Assault: is a threat or physical act that creates a reasonable apprehension of

imminent harmful or offensive contact (PSICOLOGICO)

Battery: is a physical act that results in that harmful or offensive contact. (FISICO)

Capital punishment: (pena de muerte): politics & government punishment by

death for a serious crime., punishment by death, as ordered by a legal system

Murder: Murder occurs when one human being unlawfully kills another human
being.

UNIT 12: CIVIL LAW

Monetary damages, in civil law, refers to a compensation given to an injured party
by a liable party. Monetary damages may be restitution, a penalty, or both.

Probate: The court process by which a will is proved valid or invalid.

Sue: Take legal action

Compensation: The act or state of compensating, as by rewarding someone for

service or by making up for someone's loss, damage, or injury by giving the injured
party an appropriate benefit.

Divorce: Is the termination of a marriage or marital union, the canceling or

reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage

UNIT 13: Admnistrative Law

A government or state agency, often an appointed commission, is a permanent
or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible
for the oversight and administration of specific functions.

(Gobierno o agencia estatal)

Rule-making is the process that executive and independent agencies use to

create, or promulgate, regulations.

(Reglamentacion)
Adjudication is the legal process by which an arbiter or judge reviews evidence
and argumentation, including legal reasoning set forth by opposing parties or
litigants to come to a decision which determines rights and obligations between the
parties involved. (Adjudicación)

Enforcement is the process of ensuring compliance with laws, regulations, rules,

standards, or social norms. (Aplicación)

Regulations are rules made by a government or other authority in order to control

the way something is done or the way people behave.
(Regulación)

Public law is that part of law which governs relationships between individuals and
the government, and those relationships between individuals which are of direct
concern to society. (Ley Pública)

UNIT 15: INTERVIEWING WITNESESS

Friendly Witness: A person who favors the client´s case. A witness that you call to
testify and should, on the Surface, be friendly and helpful to you.

Hostile witness: If the witness seems to be adverse to your case and non-
coperative, you may request that the judge to declare the witness a hostile witness.
Thats when they become an unfavorable witnesses.

A person who doesnt support a client´s case

Eye witness: A person who saw what happen.

-Who actually sees some act, ocurrence, or thing and can give a firsthand account
of it.

-Who was present at an event and can therefore describe it

Expert witnesses: The profesional person who gives an opinion in a case

Is a person who is permitted to testify at a trial because of special knowledge or

proficiency in a particular field that is relevant to the case

Specialist in a subjet.
Contracts
Breach of contract: A breach of contract occurs when one party breaks the
terms of an agreement with another party.
 Traducción: incumplimiento de un contrato.
El incumplimiento del contrato ocurre cuando una parte cancela o
rompe los términos o acuerdos con otra parte.

Severable contract: Is comprised of several separate contracts so that the

breach of one does not necessarily mean the breach of the others.
Traducción: Contratos divisibles
-Se compone de varios contratos, por lo que el incumplimiento de uno
no significa el incumplimiento de los demás.
-Se compone de varios contratos por separado para que el
incumplimiento de uno no necesariamente signifique la cancelación de
los otros.

Loan agreement: Is a contract between a lender and a borrower that sets te

terms and conditions of the loan repayment.
Traducción: Acuerdo de préstamo
Es el contrato entre el prestamista y el prestatario o deudor en donde se
establecen los términos y condiciones de la devolución/reembolso del
pago.

Legal contract: Is any legally binding agreement involving two or more people or
businesses that explains what the parties will or will not do.
Traducción: Contratos Legales
Es cualquier acuerdo que involucre a dos o más personas o empresas
en donde explica que harán o no harán las partes.

Distribution agreement: Is an agreement made between a manufactur and a

supplier to distribute and/or sell manufactured items.
Traducción: Acuerdo de distribución
Es un acuerdo hecho entre un fabrcante (manufacturero) y un
proveedor para distribuir y/o vender mercancía.

Requirements contract: Exists between a supplier or manufacturer and a buyer

and requires the seller to sell all the particular products that the buyer needs, and
the buyer agrees to purchase the goods only from that supplier.
Traducción: Requisito/ exigencia de contrato
Existe entre un proveedor o fabricante (manufacturero) y un comprador
y requiere que venda todos los productos particulares que el
comprador necesita, y el comprador acepta comprar la mercancía
solamente a ese proveedor.

Agreement of sale: Is a document that details the terms and conditions of the
purchase of goods or services.
 Traducción: Acuerdos de Venta
Es el documento que detalla los términos y condiciones de la compra
de bienes o servicios.

Adhesion contract: Is a contract that unfairly favors one party over the other.
Traducción: contrato de adhesión
Es el contrato que injustamente favorece a una de las partes.

Contracts of employment: Is a legally binding agreement between an employer

and employee that sets the terms of the working relationship.
Traducción: Contrato de empleo
Es el acuerdo legal entre un empleado y su jefe que establece los
términos de la relación laboral.

Bilateral contract: Is a contract in which both parties exchange promises to

perform.
Traducción: Contrato bilateral
Es el contrato en el que las partes intercambian promesas de actuar.

Unilateral contract: Is an agreement for one party to pay in exchange for the
performance or work of the other party.
Traducción: Contrato unilateral
Es un acuerdo para que una de las partes pague a cambio de la
realización o trabajo de la otra parte.

Discovery documents
Discovery documents: documentos de descubrimiento

Request for production: solicitar producto

Interrogatory: interrogatorio- preguntas largas con un desarrollo

Request for admissions: preguntas cortas si o no

Privileged: privilegiado

Physical examination: examen físico

Mental: mental

Examination: examen

Settlement: acuerdo extrajudicial

Subpoena: situación
 Legal documents

Briefs: escritos

Legal briefs: escritos legales

Legal position: posición legal

Trial briefs: informes de prueba

Commences: comienza

Merit briefs: escritos de merito

Unbiased: imparcial

Merit: merito

Amicus briefs:

Advocacy group: grupo de defensores

Appellate briefs: documentos de apelación

Motions

Motions: petición

Motion to dismiss: peticion para despedir

Motion for summary judgment: juicio sumario

Motion to compel: petición para obligar

Motion to strike: petición para atacar

Motion for protective order: protección

Harassed: acoso

Movant: quien hace la petición

Nonmovant: la parte contraria a la petición

Motion for change of venue: para cambiar el juicio de condado

Ruling: cualquier decisión tomada por el juez

Motion for a new trial: petición para un nuevo juicio

 Intentional torts
Injured party: parte lesionada

Misconduct: mala conducta

Civil litigation: juicio civil

Tort action: poner la demanda

Defamation: difamación

Harm to person: daño a la persona

Harm to property: daño a la propiedad

Negligent torts
Negligent tort: daño por negligencia

Liability: responsabilidad

Reasonable person standard: persona razonable

Duty of care: obligación de cuidar

Prudence: prudencia

Actual cause: causa real

Harm: daño

Proximate cause: causa próxima

Compensation: compensación

Duty: deber

Breach of duty: incumplimiento

Strict liability
Demonstration of fault: demostración de falla

Unsafe: inseguro (puede causar daño no es seguro)

Hazardous: peligroso

Precautions: precauciones
Good faith: buena fe

Legal responsibility: responsabilidad legal

Damage: dañar

Culpability: culpabilidad

Absolute liability: responsabilidad absoluta

Product liability
Safety: la seguridad/bienestar

Manufactures: fabricantes

Suppliers: proveedores

Distributiors: distribuidores

Retailers: minorista

Detective: defectuoso

Manufactured product: productos fabricados

Dangerous: peligroso

Consumer protection laws: leyes de protección del consumidor

Criminal procedure
Warrant: orden

Arrest: arrestar

Booked: reservado o fichado (fichaje)

Custody: custodia

Charged: cargos

Pleaded: declarado (el jurado decide si cometió la ofensa o no).

Existen tres formas en las que se puede declarar a una persona:

1- Guilty (hacen un arreglo para disminuir la pena y se declara culpable),

2- Not guilty (se declara inocente y se tiene que hacer un juicio para
demostrar si es inocente o culpable),
 3- No contest (acepta la pena y cumple cárcel, pero NO ACEPTA los cargos)

Arraigment: acusación (la acción de acusar a alguien en la corte)

Plea bargain: acuerdo de culpabilidad

Preliminary hearing: audiencia preliminar

Pre-trial motions: mociones previas al juicio

Convicted: convicto

Sentence: sentencia

Juvenile crime
Juvenile: juvenil

Liable: responsable

Waive: renunciar- excusarce (para este ámbito se usa la palabra excusarce)

Detain: detener

Minor: menor

Correctional facility: instalación correccional

Lectura off-the-record: conferencia fuera de riesgo

Community service: servicio comunitario

Probation: libertad condicional

Victim: victima

Counseling: consejería/ asesoramiento

Criminal record: antecedentes penales

Expunged: borrar antecedentes al cumplir 18 si hay un buen comportamiento

Types of evidence
Evidence: evidencia

Assertion: afirmación (declaración que se cree que es firmemente verdadera)

Testament: testamento
Admissible: admisible (cuando se admite la información el juicio)

Relevant: relevante (cuando la evidencia tiene relación al caso, o sea que haya
concordancia)

Material: material (descripción de evidencia)

Competent: competente (poseer la habilidad de razonamiento necesaria para

llevar acabo el caso)

Foundation: fundamental (preguntas preliminares)

Prerequisites: requisitos previos

Real: real (material probatorio)

Demonstrative: demostrativa (aquí se muestra la evidencia)

Testimonial: que da testimonio de algo o tiene valor de testimonio

Documentary: evidencia documentada (tipo de prueba escrita)

Authenticated: autenticado (se prueba que las evidencias no sean falsas)

Chain of custody: cadena de custodia (es el procedimiento que se hace para

custodiar los objetos que son evidencia)

Testimonial evidence
Competency to testify: competencia para testificar

Lay witness: todo aquel que no sea un perito

Meaningful: significativo

Hearsay: rumores (ejemplos: “alguien más me dijo”, escuche en algún lugar”)

Embellish: agregar o exagerar al o el testimonio

Misinterpret: mal interpretar las cosas, (cuando no se entiende bien lo que se

dijo)

Firsthand: de primera mano (cuando alguien está presente en los hechos)

Recitation: repetir o recitar un acto o hecho

Expert witness: el perito que da una opinión

Stricken off the record: eliminado del registro “ya no se puede utilizar como
evidencia” (testimonio irrelevante)

Beyond the scope of expertise: más allá del alcance de la experiencia, cuando
un profesional no tiene el conocimiento para una opinión.

Relevant evidence
Probative: probatorio (función de demostrar)

Direct evidence: evidencia directa (testigos: vieron, observaron, tocaron)

Circumstantial evidence: evidencia circunstancial (dependiendo de las

circunstancias puede que haya relación con el delito pero no se sabe con certeza)

Inference: inferencia (reunir lo que era involucrado con la evidencia circunstancial)

Accumulates: acumular

Corroborating: corroborar

Exclude: excluir

Unfair: desleal o algo injusto

Oppresion: opresión

Confusing: confuso

Emotive: emotivo

Prejudiced: perjudicial (puede ser negativo para las partes)

Waste of time: pérdida de tiempo

AFFIDAVITS:
-Affidavits: it's a sworn statement in writing made especially under oath or on
affirmation before an authorized magistrate or officer. The witness's affidavit it
show to the court as evidence. (declaraciones Juridicas)

-Notary Public: A public officer who attests or certifies writings (such as a deed) to
make them authentic and takes affidavits, depositions, and protests of negotiable
paper — called also notary. (Notario Público)
- sworn statement: A statement that someone makes under oath and swears to
be true. (declaración Jurada)

- testimony: A formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court

of law. (testimonio)

- identification number: Unique numerical digit assigned to an individual or

account to differentiate it from the others. (numero de identificacion)

- Signature (firma)

A person's name, or a mark representing it, as signed personally orby deputy, as in

subscribing a letter or other document.

The name of a person written in a distinctive manner as a form of identification

when authorizing a check or document or when concluding a letter.