COURTROOM TERMINOLOGY AND RESEARCH

COURTROOM
TERMINOLOGY AND
RESEARCH
Marco Hanson, Language Access Coordinator,
Texas Office of Court Administration
YOU ARE THE CONDUCTOR
WORDS ARE YOUR MUSICIANS
DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP WITH
COURT TERMINOLOGY
• 1. Discover a new term
• 2. Understand it in context
• 3. Translate it in multiple senses of meaning
• 4. Relate it to things you already know to aid memory
• 5. Use it until you’re comfortable with it
• 6. Practice it until it springs instantly to mind
1
EXAMPLE IN RUSSIAN
• Please: пожалуйста
EXAMPLE IN RUSSIAN
EXAMPLE IN RUSSIAN
• Please: пожалуйста (PAH zhel-stuh)
2
EXAMPLE IN RUSSIAN
• Please: пожалуйста (PAH zhel-stuh)
EXAMPLE IN RUSSIAN
• Please: пожалуйста (PAH ZHEL-stuh)
• Pause jail stuff
• Pa’s jail stuff
• Pa’s jelly-stuffed
• Pa’s gelato
• Pa’s gel stew
DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP WITH
COURT TERMINOLOGY
• 1. Discover a new term
• 2. Understand it in context
• 3. Translate it in multiple senses of meaning
• 4. Relate it to things you already know to aid memory
• 5. Use it until you’re comfortable with it
• 6. Practice it until it springs instantly to mind
3
EXAMPLE IN SPANISH
• Fedatario: (m) Notario u otro funcionario que da fe pública
• Use traditional, quality dictionaries (Spanish, English,
bilingual, legal, interpreter-specific)
• Use online dictionaries and translator forums (rae.es,
wordreference.com, proz.com, linguee.com,
translate.google.com, Google)
• Talk to other knowledgeable people
EXAMPLE IN SPANISH
• fedatario: (m) Notario u otro funcionario que da fe pública
• notario, ria (del lat. notarĭus):
• 1. m. y f. Funcionario público autorizado para dar fe de los contratos,
testamentos y otros actos extrajudiciales, conforme a las leyes.
• 2. m. y f. Persona que deja testimonio de los acontecimientos de los que
es testigo.
• 3. m. El que desempeñaba la labor de escribano y daba fe de escritos y
otros actos.
EXAMPLE IN SPANISH
• fedatario: (m) Notario u otro funcionario que da fe pública
• notario, ria (del lat. notarĭus):
• 1. m. y f. Funcionario público autorizado para dar fe de los contratos, testamentos
y otros actos extrajudiciales, conforme a las leyes.
• 2. m. y f. Persona que deja testimonio de los acontecimientos de los que es
testigo.
• 3. m. El que desempeñaba la labor de escribano y daba fe de escritos y otros
actos.
• dar fe:
• 7. f. Seguridad, aseveración de que algo es cierto. El escribano da fe.
• 8. f. Documento que certifica la verdad de algo. Fe de soltería, de bautismo.
4
EXAMPLE IN SPANISH
• Fedatario: (m) Notario u otro funcionario que da fe pública
• Fedatario/a: (noun) Notary public or other official who attests
to the identity of someone signing a document
EXAMPLE IN SPANISH
• Fedatario: (m) Notario u otro funcionario que da fe pública
• Fedatario/a: (noun) Notary public or other official who attests
to the identity of someone signing a document
• Fe – da – tario  faith – give – r  faithgiver (someone who
gives you reason to believe that a document was signed
legally)
EXAMPLE IN SPANISH
• Fedatario: (m) Notario u otro funcionario que da fe pública
• Fedatario/a: (noun) Notary public or other official who attests to
the identity of someone signing a document
• Fe – da – tario  faith – give – r  faithgiver (someone who gives
you reason to believe that a document was signed legally)
• Related terms: notary public, notario, escribano, attest, da fe
5
DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP WITH
COURT TERMINOLOGY
• 1. Discover a new term
• 2. Understand it in context
• 3. Translate it in multiple senses of meaning
• 4. Relate it to things you already know to aid memory
• 5. Use it until you’re comfortable with it
• 6. Practice it until it springs instantly to mind
TRAINING WITH FLASHCARDS
TRAINING WITH FLASHCARDS
• 1. Collect terms you need to know in a notebook, journal, etc.
• 2. Create flashcards with English on one side and Spanish on the other
• 3. Shuffle them and deal out ten
• 4. Carry those ten with you and study them in spare moments (stopped at a red light,
riding the elevator, waiting in line for lunch, etc.)
• 5. Go through the set with your second language showing, and try to remember the
word in your first language
• 6. When you can do all ten, flip them over and look at the word in your first language
and try to remember it in your second
6
TRAINING WITH FLASHCARDS
• Practice now with a partner:
• Choose ten unfamiliar words from the “Problem Cognates” handout
• Write them in English and Spanish on opposite sides of your ten cards
• Practice them first with your second language showing
• When you can say them all, practice with your dominant language showing
• Use cartoons, doodles, phrases, imagery, cognates, word association, and any other
memory trick to connect the new word with things you already know
• Once you know all ten, shuffle them and have a partner read them aloud while you answer
as fast as possible
• Shuffle and repeat for greater speed and accuracy
TRAINING WITH FLASHCARDS
• Traditional paper flashcards
• Online flashcards sharing websites (quizlet.com, byki.com, etc.)
• Flashcard apps for phones and other devices
• Recorded MP3s of your voice reading one word, pausing, then the
other
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN LIKE AN ATHLETE
TRAINS MUSCLES AND REFLEXES
пожалуйста
7
PROBLEM COGNATES
Prepared 2011 by Juanita Ulloa, Staff Interpreter, Office of Court Administration
Edited by Cristina Helmerichs, Federally Certified Interpreter
Proper interpretation requires skill in proper grammar, register usage, specialized vocabulary, cultural expressions, idioms
and slang. As licensed (or certified) court interpreters, the author and editor of the list below have tested expertise in at
least two languages (ex: English and Spanish), including many years of observing the problems cause by use of false
cognates. The following list incorporates terms they find are commonly misused and misinterpreted in the legal setting.
English-Spanish
Original Term
Act of Congress
Cognate to beware
of
Acta
Adjudicate
Adjudicar
Alienation
Alineación
Appear in court
Aparecer en la corte
Application (as a
document)
Arraignment
Aplicación
Arrendamiento
Real Meaning of
Cognate
Record, as in
“On The Record”
Award (as in award
a concession or a
contract)
Alignment or
Line up
Making oneself
materialize at
Supreme Court
To physically apply
something
Rent
Assault
Bar Association
(local)
Asalto
Asociación de barra
Hold up (rob)
Relating to a bar
Correct translation
Ley
Fallar, Dictar (ejercicio de las
funciones propias de un juez)
Enajenación
Comparecer ante el tribunal o
ante el juzgado, presentarse
ante…
solicitud
Instrucción de cargos
Lectura de cargos
Agresión
Asociación de abogados o
Barra (only MX)
Barra
Texas State Bar
Best interest of
the child
Case
Case law
Mejor interés
Best interest rate
Caso
Leyes de causas
Wrong use of term
Literal/Wrong use
of term
Weight of the
Supreme Court
School or Bar
Association (levels
vary depending on
country)
Property belonging
to the community
In use; not formal
Charge of the
Court
College
Cargo de la corte
Community
property
Conspiracy
Propiedad de la
comunidad
Conspiración
Colegio
1
Colegio de Abogados
Para mayor beneficio del
menor
Causa
Jurisprudencia
Instrucciones del juez al jurado
Universidad
Instituto pos-secundario (one
exception: El Colegio de
México is a university)
Bienes gananciales, bienes de
sociedad conyugal (MX)
Asociación delictiva o
Conviction
Convicción
Counsel
Consul
Court
Corte
Courthouse
Casa corte
Court reporter
Reportera/o de la
corte
Criminal
(person)
Criminal
Criminal law
Crime
Ley criminal o leyes
criminales
Crimen
Custody of
property
Defraud
Custodia de
propiedad
Defraudar
Demand
Demandar
Deposition
Deposición
Disobey the law
Desobedecer la ley,
Domestic
violence
Driving
drunk/intoxicated
DWI/DUI
Violencia doméstica
(term used in Spain)
Manejar intoxicado
Educated (as in
well educated)
Educado
Manejar intoxicado
Legal term
To have a
conviction
asociación con fines delictivos
Condena, declaración de
culpabilidad,
Fallo condenatorio
Refers to Consul at Abogado, representación legal,
the Consulate
asesor legal
In use; In all
Tribunal/juzgado
Spanish speaking
countries refers to
Supreme Court or
to an appellate
court
Appellate house
Palacio de justicia, Los
juzgados, Centro judicial
News reporter for
Taquígrafa/o o estenógrafa/o
appellate
proceedings
Means a murderer Delincuente
or other violent
felon
Ley penal, leyes penales
Murder or other
heinous crimes
Wrong use of term
Delito
Disappoint or
second meaning
“to evade” or
trickery
To sue someone
Desfalcar, estafar
Driving in a
poisoned state
Driving in a
poisoned state
Well mannered
Manejar/Conducir en estado de
ebriedad o embriagado
Manejar en estado de
embriaguez
Estudiado, estudios
académicos,
Tenencia
Presentar/entablar una
demanda o acción legal,
Insistir
A legal term whose Declaración jurada
second meaning
extrajudicial
must be used
judiciously, as it
means a bowel
movement
Non legal
Contravenir, infringir la ley,
description
quebrantar la ley
Youthful violence
Violencia intrafamiliar
2
It is “evident”
To “exhibit”
oneself; gallery
exhibit
Treachery or
disloyalty
Evidence
Exhibits
Evidencia
Exhibición
Felony
Felonía
Form (as in
paperwork)
Honor, Your
Information
(procedure)
Forma
Jurisdiction
Jurisdicción
Juvenile court
Corte de juveniles
Juvenile
delinquent
Life sentence
Malice
aforethought
Misdemeanor
Delincuente
Molest
Molestar
Motion
No contest
Moción
No contesto
Notary public
Notario Público
Objection!
Objeción
Offense
Ofensa
To offend
Delito
Office
Oficial
Official or military
officer
Funcionario (if court officer)
Agente (if police officer)
Su honor or honoría
Información
Sentencia de vida
Malicia
Crimen pequeño
Is a physical form
(piece of paper)
Information
(non-legal use of
term)
Incorrect use of
term
Supreme Court for
people that act
youthfully
This applies to
adults
Bad intent instead
of premeditation
Literally “little
crime”; wrong use
of term
To “bother” rather
than to sexually
take advantage of
someone
Movement
Literally,
“I won’t answer”
Prueba
Prueba real, artículos de
prueba
Delito mayor, delito grave
Crimen (for murder or
extremely violent crimes only)
Formulario
Su señoría o señor juez
Acusación del fiscal, querella
penal
Competencia
Tribunal de menores
Transgresor or infractor
Cadena perpetua
Dolo penal/Alevosía
Delito menor o delito menos
grave
Abuso deshonesto o abuso
sexual
Pedimento
No me opongo, nolo
contendere, no respondo a los
cargos
In Mexico, a lawyer Funcionario fedatario
that is a civil law
Public Notary and
has powers not
vested in a U.S.
notary
Non-standard legal ¡Protesto! ¡Me opongo!
term
3
Perpetrator
Physical abuse
Perpetuador
Abuso físico
Non-existent word
Petition
Probation
Proof
Petición
Probación/probatorio Probatorio means
probative
Evidencia
Evident
Remedy (legal)
Remedio
Potion or solution
Non-legal use of
term
Rent
Renta
This is ONLY
acceptable in
border region and
Mexico (and there
it is colloquial)
alquiler
Security (Legal)
Seguridad
garantía prestada por el
deudor, aval
Sentence
Sentencia
State, the
Statutes
El Estado
Estatutos
Feeling secure or
having
bodyguards; does
not mean a bond
or guarantee
In Spanish, a
judgment but in a
wider sense than
its legal English
cognate, which
means only the
punishment
imposed after a
guilty verdict
In use
By-Laws (iecorporate by-laws)
Statute of
Limitations
Estatuto de
Limitaciones
Ley de prescripción/
Prescripción liberatoria
Violation
Violación
Literal
interpretation is a
non-legal term
meaning
something with
limits
Rape; does not
mean a legal
infraction
Spanish-English
4
Autor
Maltrato
Solicitud
Libertad a prueba
Elementos probatorios,
Objectos de prueba
Elementos de prueba
Recurso judicial/extrajudicial
para hacer valer un derecho
Pena, Condena
La fiscalía/procuraduría
Ley
Contravención de la ley,
Infracción
Abandonar
Abandon
Wrong term;
false cognate
Non-legal verb
“to be active”
Wrong term;
false cognate
To leave but not in the sense of
abandon; exit
Assets
Activos
Active
Demandar
To insist
Doy fe
I give faith
Non-legal use of
term
I attest, I certify
Jurisprudencia
Jurisprudence
Only in English
doe this term refer
to the legal field in
general
Case law
Notario público
Notary Public
Civil law notary
In Mexico, a notary sometimes
also acts as a lawyer.
Retirar
Retire
English meaning
includes means
only a notary, who
is a person
authorized to verify
signatures for legal
purposes. There is
no “criminal” notary
in the U.S.
Wrong definition
Sentencia
Sentence
Spanish usage is
civil AND criminal.
Sentencia is a
consequence of
proven liability
Fallo, determinación,
resolución, dictamen
5
To sue someone
Withdraw,
as in withdraw funds