Legal Spanish-English Vocabulary: Courts, Crimes and Trials
Legal Spanish-English Vocabulary
This glossary lists common Spanish legal terms with their English equivalents, covering lawyers, courts, trials, and crimes.
Legal Professionals
- Abogado (Genérico): Lawyer (UK), attorney
- Abogado (Asesor legal): Solicitor
- Abogado (Que se dirige al juez): Barrister
- Abogado defensor: Defense counsel
Court Proceedings and Trials
- Absolver, absolución: To acquit, acquittal
- Acusación: Indictment
- Acusado: Defendant
- Apelación: Appeal
- Corte: Court
- Juicio: Trial
- Jurado: Jury
- Juramento: Oath
- Orden judicial: Court order
- Pleito: Court case
- Procesar: To prosecute
- Ser juzgado: To be tried
- Suprema Corte: High Court
- Tribunal de apelación: Appeal Court
- Declarar culpable: To convict
- Multar, multa: To fine, a fine
- Sentenciar a alguien a: To sentence someone to
Guilt, Innocence and Punishment
- Culpable: Guilty
- Inocente: Innocent
- Confesarse culpable: To plead guilty
- Castigo: Punishment
- Cárcel: Jail
- Prisión: Prison
- Cumplir condena: To serve a sentence
- Custodia: Custody
- En libertad condicional: On probation
- Fianza: Bail
- Pena de muerte: Death penalty
- Mala conducta: Misdemeanor
Evidence and Testimony
- Coartada: Alibi
- Declaración: Statement
- Evidencia: Evidence
- Prueba: Proof
- Testimonio: Testimony
- Testigo: Witness
- Sin testigos: No witnesses
- Sospechoso: Suspect
- Heredero: Heir
Defending and Prosecuting
- Defender: To defend
- Cómplice de algo: Accessory to something
Crimes and Criminals
- Crimen: Felony, crime
- Asesinar: To assassinate / to murder
- Asesinato: Assassination / murder
- Asesino: Assassin / murderer
- Atracar: To mug
- Atraco: Mugging
- Asaltante: Mugger
- Chantajear: To blackmail
- Chantajista: Blackmailer
- Chantaje: Blackmail
- Destrozar: To vandalise
- Vándalo: Vandal
- Vandalismo: Vandalism
- Falsificar: To forge
- Falsificador: Forger
- Falsificación: Forgery
- Hurto en negocios: To shoplift
- Hurtar: To burgle
- Ladrón: Burglar, thief, robber
- Hurto: Burglary
- Propiedad privada: Private property
- Incendiar: To set fire
- Provocador: Arsonist
- Incendio premeditado: Arson
- Robar: To steal, to rob
- Robo: Theft, robbery
- Amenazas: Threats
- Secuestrar: To kidnap
- Secuestrador: Kidnapper
- Secuestro: Kidnapping
- Sobornar: To bribe
- Sobornador: Briber
- Soborno: Bribery
- Violar: To violate, to rape
- Violador: Violator, rapist
- Violación: Violation, rape