Law: B2 Spanish vocabulary

51 Spanish words about law at B2 level. Each entry links to the full meaning, a real example sentence, and usage notes written for English speakers.

• usonounusage, use — the action of using something; habitual practice
• recursonounresource, means
• violencianounviolence — behaviour involving physical force causing harm; intense force
• declaracionnounstatement, declaration — a formal announcement or account
• victimanounvictim — a person harmed or killed by another or by an event
• justicianounjustice — the principle of fair treatment and equitable distribution; also the legal system
• juicionounjudgement, assessment — an opinion or conclusion reached through reasoning; also a trial
• territorionounterritory — an area under the jurisdiction of a ruler; also a sphere of action
• alcancenounscope, reach — the extent of the area or subject covered by something
• límitenounlimit, boundary
• responsabilidadnounresponsibility, accountability — the obligation to act in a certain way or to answer for the consequences of one's actions
• abusonounabuse, misuse
• categoríanouncategory, class
• sustancianounsubstance — a particular kind of matter with uniform properties; also essential quality
• audiencianounaudience —
• constituirverbto constitute, to represent
• pistanounhint, clue — a piece of indirect evidence or suggestion that helps solve a problem; also a track or runway
• testimonionountestimony — a formal statement, especially given in a court of law; an account
• detenciónnounarrest, detention — the act of holding a person under authority; a period of custody
• veredictonounverdict — the decision made by a jury or judge; also a general judgement
• vicionounvice — immoral or wicked behaviour; a weakness of character
• delitonounoffence, crime — an act that breaks the law and is punishable
• emitirverbto issue, to emit
• arreglonounarrangement, settlement
• conyugenounspouse — a married or legally partnered person
• fincanounestate, rural property
• arrestonounarrest, detention — the act of apprehending someone by legal authority
• apelaciónnounappeal, legal challenge
• acusadonoundefendant/the accused — the person formally charged with a crime in a judicial proceeding
• condenanouncondemnation/sentence —
• entrar en vigorverbto come into force, to take effect in a legal sense
• convenciónnounconvention —
• empleadornounemployer — the person or organisation that hires and pays workers
• patrimonionounheritage, assets
• tarifanounfee, tariff
• marconounframework, context
• nuloadjectivevoid, null — having no legal force or validity; cancelled or annulled
• incidentenounincident — an event, especially one that is problematic or requires official attention
• legislaciónnounlegislation — the body of laws enacted by a legislative body
• defender (sostener, hacer respetar)verbto uphold, to defend
• infringirverbto violate, to infringe
• normanounnorm, standard — an established rule or expected pattern of behaviour
• obligaciónnounobligation, duty — a moral or legal requirement to act in a certain way
• patentenounpatent — an official right granting exclusive use of an invention
• sanciónnounpenalty, sanction — a punishment imposed for breaking a rule or law
• cónyugenounspouse, partner
• declaraciónnounstatement, declaration — a formal announcement or official statement; 'declaración jurada' = sworn statement
• estatusnounstatus — the official classification or position of a person in a hierarchy; 'estatus legal/migratorio/social'; not synonymous with 'estado'
• objetarverbobject, raise an objection — to formally express disagreement or opposition; 'objetar que…'; formal register verb
• términonounterm, period — a fixed duration; a technical word; 'en términos de' = in terms of; 'los términos del acuerdo'
• víctimanounvictim