If you plan to reside or do business in Costa Rica, sooner or later you will require the services of a lawyer to handle legal matters which can range from immigration problems to even a lawsuit. It is very important to choose a bilingual attorney if your Spanish is not up to par. Even if you have a bilingual attorney you will still be confused by the many Spanish legal terms which you will encounter.

Learning the vocabulary below is an important Spanish survival skill.

fallo – ruling
comparecencia – appearance in court
el tribunal – court
el tribunal de apelación – court of appeals
tribunal inferior – lower court
tribunal superior – higher court
audiencia – hearing
la corte – court
admitir – admit (evidence)
acusación – accusation
denuncia – accusation
testificar contra/declarar contra – testify against
testificar a favor de/ declarar – testify for
a favor de
testigo – witness
testigo ocular – eye witness
testigo falso – false witness
fianza – bail
pelear – fight a case
caso – case
abogado – lawyer
papel sellado – legal paper
multa – fine
defender – to defend
juzgar – to try a case or person
juicio – trial
culpable – guilty
inocente – innocent
el jurado – jury
el estrado – the stand
juez – judge
sentencia – sentence
pleito/demanda – lawsuit
custodia – custody
pensión alimenticia – alimony/support
procurador – prosecutor
veredicto – verdict
testamento – will
dueño – owner
propiedad – property
citación – summons
fraude – fraud
estafa – swindle
desfalco – embezzlement
El Colegio de Abogados – bar (lawyer’s association)

Tiquismo of the week: picado means to be drunk in Costa Rica.