Organización Mexicana de

Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

FIGURAS JURÍDICAS DEL DERECHO ANGLOSAJÓN

FIGURA SIGNIFICADO TRADUCCIÓN

ATS At suit of En demanda
acquittal Decision of the trial jury or absolución
judge that the defendant is
not guilty
adjournment Delay in a trial ordered by the aplazar
judge, usually at the request suspender
of one of the lawyers
adjudicate To judge. An adjudication is Juzgar
the formal giving or recording Resolver
of a judgment for one side in Fallar
a lawsuit Dictar la sentencia

Adversary system Proceeding in which the Procedimiento contencioso

opposing sides have the
opportunity to present their
evidence and arguments.
affidavit Sworn, written declaration declaración juradabajo
protesta de decir verdad, en
México no se jura
affirm In an appellate court, to reach
a decision that agrees with Confirmar la
the result reached in the case sentenciaSentencia
by the lower court afirmativa
alimony Court-ordered support pensión alimenticia
payments from the spouse to
the other following the
dissolution of a marriage
Alternative Less adversarial means Procedimientos alternativos
dispute resolution settling disputes that may or de resolución de conflictos
(ADR) may not involve a court controversias
answer Defendant’s response to contestación de demanda
allegations made by the
plaintiff in the latter’s
complaint. When the answer is
filed the case is said to be “at
issue”

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

appeal Legal challenge to a decision apelar

by a lower court.
appellant The party, usually the losing apelante
one, which seeks to overturn
the decision of a lower court
by appealing to a higher
court.
appellee Party, usually the wining apelado
party, against whom a case is
appealed. Also called the
respondent.
arbitration Submission of a dispute to a arbitraje
neutral party for resolution
under an agreement by the
parties to be bound by the
decision.
arraignment Stage of the criminal process Instrucción es la etapa
in which the defendant is donde se le informa al
formally informed of the detenido de la acusación en
charges and is allowed to su contra
enter a plea. Acusación, imputación
bail Security (money or bail bond) fianza
given as guarantee that a
released prisoner will appear
at trial.
Bail bondsmen Person whose business it is to Fiador judicial
effect release on bail for
person held in custody, by
pledging to pay a sum of
money if a defendant fails to
appear in court as required.
Bailiff Minor officer of a court usually alguacil
serving as an usher or a
messenger
bankruptcy Legal procedure under federal Bancarrota en la televisión
law by which a person is En el derecho se llama
relieved of all debts after concurso mercantil
placing all property under the Leer correo
court’s authority. An

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

organization may be
reorganized or terminated by
the court in order to pay off
creditors
Bar: Community of attorneys Colegio de Abogados
permitted to practice law in a
particular jurisdiction or court
Barrister Segment of the English legal Abogado litigante
profession that conducts court
trials
battery Unlawful use of violence upon Agresión
another. Battery always lesiones
includes assault.
Beyond a Burden of proof required by Fuera de toda duda
reasonable doubt law to convict a defendant in razonable
a criminal case.
Bifurcated trial In criminal proceedings, a Juicio bifurcadoa
special two-part trial
proceeding in which the issue
of guilt is tried in the first
step and, if a conviction
results, the appropriate
sentence or applicable
sentencing statute is
determined in the second
step.
Bill of attainder Legislative act declaring a Escrito de proscripción
person guilty of a crime and
passing sentence without
benefit of trial.
bond See bail Fianza
Caución
booking Process of photographing, Ficha policial
fingerprinting, and recording Elaboración de la ficha
of identifying data subsequent signalética
to a suspect’s arrest
brief Written statement submitted Antecedentes
by the attorney arguing a case demanda
in court. It consists of a

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

statement of the facts of the

case, presents legal
arguments in support of the
moving party, and cities
applicable law.
burglary Unlawful entry of any fixed Allanamiento de morada
structure, vehicle, or vessel,
with or without force, with
intent to commit a felony or
larceny.
calendar List of cases to be heard in Calendario judicial
court on a specific date,
containing the title of the
case, the lawyers involved,
and the case number.
Canon law System of a church law. Derecho Canónico
Capital crime Any crime punishable by death Delito punible con la pena
de muerte
Capital Use of the death penalty (i.e. Pena de muerte
punishment execution) as the punishment
for the commission of a
particular crime.
case General term of an action, Caso, causa
cause, suit, or controversy, at
law.
casebook Law textbook containing Jurispredencia, precedentes
leading edited judicial judiciales
opinions on a particular legal
subject.
cause Case, lawsuit, litigation, or causa
action, civil or criminal
Certiorari, writ of Writ issued by the U.S. Auto de avocación, orden de
Supreme Court, at its revisión
discretion, to order a lower
court to prepare the record of
a case and send it to the court
for review. Most cases come
to the Court as petitions for
writs of certiorari.

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

Chambers Private office of a judge Cámara del juez

Charge In criminal justice usage, an cargo
allegation that a specified
person(s) has committed a
specific offense.
Charging Information, indictment, or Escrito de acusación,
document complaint that states the documento acusatorio
formal criminal charge against
a named defendant(s).
Circumstantial Indirect method of proving the Prueba circunstancial,
evidence material facts of the case. prueba indirecta
Testimony that is not based on
the witness’s personal
observation of the material
events.
Civil law law governing private parties; Derecho Civil
other than criminal law
Civil procedure Method and means of Proceso Civil
enforcing civil law
Class action Lawsuit brought by one person Acción popular
or group on behalf of all litisconsorcio
persons in similar situations
Clearance rate Percentage of crimes known Tasa de descubrimiento
to the police that they believe resolución de delitos
they have solved through an mediante detención o
arrest arresto
Clerk of court Elected or appointed court Secretario de acuerdos,
officer responsible for El actuario está abajo del
maintaining the written secretarioactuario
records of the court and for
supervising or performing the
clerical tasks necessary for
conducting judicial business.
Closing argument Statement made by an Alegatos finales
attorney at the end of the
presentation of evidence in
which the attorney
summarizes the case for the
jury

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

code Compilation of laws arranged Código

by chapters
Common law Law developed in England by Derecho Jurisprudencial
judges who made legal
decisions in the absence of
written law. Such decisions
served as precedents and
became “common” to all of
England. Common law is
characterized by being judge
made, uses precedent, and is
uncodified.
complaint In civil law, the first paper Demanda en lo civil
filed in a lawsuit. In criminal Denuncia en lo penal
law, a charge signed by the
victim that a persona named
has committed a specific
offense.
Concurring Opinion by a member of an Voto concurrente
opinion: appellate court that agrees
with the result reached by the
court but disagrees with or
departs from the court’s
rationale for the decision.
conviction Final judgment or sentence Sentencia condenatoria
that the defendant is guilty as
charged
Counterclaim Claim made by a defendant in Reconvención
Cross- action a civil lawsuit that, in effect, Contrademanda
sues the plaintiff.
Court of last Court from which there is no Ultimao instancia
resort appeal
crime Any violation of the criminal Delito
law
Cross examination At trial, the questions of one Repreguntar,
attorney put to a witness contrainterrogar
called by the opposing
attorney
deposition Process of obtaining a Declaración juradobajo

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

witness’s sworn testimony out protesta de decir verdad

of court fuera del tribunal por
escrito
Direct examination At trial, the questions asked Interrogatorio directo
of a witness by the attorney
who called the witness to the
stand.
dispositive Settling of matter finally and Orden dispositivaresolución
definitively definitiva
equity Branch of law that provides Equidad
for remedies other than
damages and is therefore
more flexible than common
law.
evidence All types of information Prueba
presented at a trial or other
hearing.
felony The more serious of the two Delito mayor
basic types of criminal
behavior, usually bearing a
possible penalty of one year or
more in prison.
fine Sum of money to be paid to multa
the state by a convicted
person as punishment for an
offense
Gag order Judge’s order that lawyers Orden de mordaza
and witnesses not discuss the
trial with outsiders
Gubernatorial Method of judicial selection in Nombramiento por
appointment which the governor appoints a gobernador
person to a judicial vacancy;
it does not involve an
election.
impaneling Selection and swearing in of a Insacular al jurado
jury
impeach To question the truthfulness Destituir
of a witness’s testimony
impeachment Official accusation against a Destitución

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

public official brought by a

legislative body seeking his or
her removal.
Imprisonment Placing a person in a prison, Pena de la privación de la
jail, or similar correctional libertad, encarcelación
facility
Indeterminate Sentence that has both a pena indeterminada
sentence minimum and maximum term
of imprisonment, the actual
length determined by a parole
board
indictment Formal accusation of a Auto de procesamiento
criminal offense made against
a person handed up by a grand
jury
Inferior courts Term used to refer to the trial Tribunales inferiores
courts of limited jurisdiction;
also may refer to any court
lower in the judicial hierarchy
Initial appearance During the initial appearance ComparecíaComparecencia
the accused is informed of the inicial
charges against him, given his
constitutional rights, informed
of the amount of bail, and
given a date for a preliminary
hearing
interrogatory Form of discover in which Interrogatorio
written questions about a law
suit are submitted to one
party by the other party.
judgment Official decision of a court Resolución
deciding the matter Sentencia

jurisdiction Power of a court to hear a Jurisdicción

case in question
jurisprudence The study of law and legal Jurisprudencia
philosophy
larceny Unlawful taking or attempted robohurto
taking of property other than

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

a motor vehicle from the

possession of another, by
stealth, without force, and
without deceit, with intent to
permanently deprive the
owner of the property.
manslaughter Unlawful act of killing of a Homicidio culposo
human being, characterized
by the absence of
premeditation or intent
mistrial Invalid trial Juicio nulo
moot Case that no longer presents a Juicio obsoleto???
justiciable controversy sobreseimiento
because the issues involved por ejemplo en un jucio las
have become dead. partes llegan a un acuerdo
o el acusado se muere,

motion Application made by one of Peticiónpromoción,

the litigants requesting the pedimento
judge to make a decision
Murder, first Killing of an other with Homicidio calificado,
degree premeditation and intent. The asesinato en el primer grado
killing of another during the No existe el delito de
commission of a felony, even asesinato, se llama
though there was no homicidio y no hay grados
premeditation or intent is hay con agravantes o
murder in the first degree and calificantes o simple
is called a “felony murder”
Opening statement Address made by attorneys for Declaración
both parties at the beginning inauguralIntroducción al
of a trial in which they outline juicio
for the jury that they intend
to prove in their case.
overrule To annul an earlier decision by anular,
depriving the rule upon which no ha lugar
it was based, as well as the
case itself, of all authority as
precedent. Compare reversal.
parole Early release from prison on Libertad condicional

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

the condition of good behavior

Parole board Administrative body whose Junta de libertad
members are chosen by the condicional
governor to review the cases
of prisoners eligible for
release on parole. The board
has the authority to release
such persons and to return
them to prison for violating
the conditions of parole.
perjury Deliberately testifying falsely perjurio
under oath about a material
fact; a criminal offense.
plaintiff Person of party who initiates a Actor en lo penal
lawsuit Denunciante o querellante
en lo civil

Plea bargaining Process through which a Negociaciones de

defendant pleads guilty to a Declaración de culpabilidad
criminal charge with the
expectation of receiving some
benefit from the state
Plea of guilty Confession of guilt to a Declaración de culpabilidad
criminal offense
pleadings Process of making formal escritos
writing statements of each
side of a case.

Postconviction Set of procedures by which a Recurso de revisión pos-

remedy person who has been condenatoriorecurso
convicted of a crime can posterior a la condena
challenge in court the
lawfulness of a judgment of
conviction or penalty or of a
correctional agency action,
and thus obtain relief in
situation where this cannot be
done by a direct appeal
precedent Case previously decided that Precedente jurisprudencial

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

serves as a legal guide for the

resolution of subsequent cases
Preliminary Pretrial hearing to determine Audiencia preliminar
hearing if there is probable cause to
hold the accused for the grand
jury
Presentence Report submitted by a Investigación preprevia a la
investigation probation department to a -condenatoria
judge containing information
about the offender upon
which the judge can base his
or her sentencing decision.
Prior record Defendant’s previous history Antecedentes penales
of arrests and criminal
convictions
probation Punishment for a crime that Condena condicional
allows the offender to remain probatoria
in the community without
incarceration but subject to
certain conditions
Sentence Punishment imposed on a Pena, condena,
defendant found guilty of Sentencia no va aquí
committing a criminal act. Sentencia es judgment
OJO
Sentencia es falso cognado
sentencia
summons Court order directing the Orden de comparecía,
defendant to appear in court citación del acusadosi es la
at a specified time and place, primera notificación se
either in person or by filing a llama emplazamiento
written answer to the si es posterior es
plaintiff’s complaint simplemente notificación

Temporary Form of injunctive relief. An Orden de restricción

restraining order emergency remedy issued by a temporalmedida precautoria
TRO court to prevent any action o medida cautelar
until the court can hear
arguments.

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com
 Organización Mexicana de
Traductores, A. C.
Capítulo de Occidente
DIPLOMADO EN TRADUCCIÓN LEGAL

verdict Decision of a trial court Veredicto

fallo
waive To abandon or throw away; in Renunciar
modern law, to abandon or Desistimiento
surrender a claim, privilege,
or right
warrant Writ issued by a court, Orden de aprensión
authorizing the seizure of a
certain person or a certain Search warrant es orden de
property cateo
Arrest warrant es orden de
aprehensión

Will Legal declaration, usually in testamento

writing, of a person’s wishes
as to the disposition of his or
her property after death
witness One who has seen, heard, or testigo
acquired knowledge about
some aspect of a law suit.
Writ Written court order mandato
commanding certain actions(s)
Writ of error Common law writ issued by an Auto de avocación, orden de
appellate court to review a revisión
decision of a lower court upon
appellant’s contention that
errors where committed by
the lower court

Avenida Vallarta 1525 Despacho 304, Colonia Americana Michelle Bardales M

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
www.omt.org.mx
michellebardales@hotmail.com