Law: Criminal 25 Drills | Glossary

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25 Foundational Drills: Criminal Law

1. Probable Cause (Causa Probable): "The officer must demonstrate probable cause before making an arrest.""El oficial debe demostrar causa probable antes de realizar un arresto."
2. Felony (Delito Grave): "You are being charged with a class B felony.""Se le acusa de un delito grave de clase B."
3. Misdemeanor (Delito Menor): "This offense is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail.""Esta infracción es un delito menor, sancionable con hasta un año de cárcel."
4. Search Warrant (Orden de Registro): "The police entered with a valid search warrant.""La policía entró con una orden de registro válida."
5. Grand Jury (Gran Jurado): "The case will be presented to the Grand Jury for indictment.""El caso será presentado ante el Gran Jurado para una acusación formal."
6. Arraignment (Lectura de Cargos): "The defendant appeared for his arraignment this morning.""El acusado compareció para su lectura de cargos esta mañana."
7. Plea Bargain (Acuerdo de Culpabilidad): "The prosecutor offered a plea bargain for a reduced sentence.""El fiscal ofreció un acuerdo de culpabilidad para una sentencia reducida."
8. Parole (Libertad Preparatoria): "He was released on parole after serving five years.""Fue puesto en libertad preparatoria después de cumplir cinco años."
9. Recidivism (Reincidencia): "The program aims to reduce recidivism among youth.""El programa tiene como objetivo reducir la reincidencia entre los jóvenes."
10. Booking (Registro Policial): "The booking process took several hours at the precinct.""El proceso de registro policial tomó varias horas en la comisaría."
11. Evidence (Pruebas): "The evidence was suppressed due to an illegal search.""Las pruebas fueron suprimidas debido a un registro ilegal."
12. Perjury (Perjurio): "Lying under oath constitutes the crime of perjury.""Mentir bajo juramento constituye el delito de perjurio."
13. Subpoena (Citación Judicial): "I received a subpoena to testify at the trial.""Recibí una citación judicial para testificar en el juicio."
14. Verdict (Veredicto): "The jury reached a unanimous verdict of guilty.""El jurado llegó a un veredicto unánime de culpabilidad."
15. Sentencing (Imposición de la Condena): "Sentencing is scheduled for next month.""La imposición de la condena está programada para el próximo mes."
16. Acquittal (Absolución): "The trial resulted in a full acquittal for the defendant.""El juicio resultó en una absolución total para el acusado."
17. Indictment (Acusación Formal): "The formal indictment was read in open court.""La acusación formal fue leída en tribunal abierto."
18. Bench Warrant (Orden de Arresto Judicial): "A bench warrant was issued for failing to appear.""Se emitió una orden de arresto judicial por no comparecer."
19. Public Defender (Defensor de Oficio): "A public defender was assigned to the case.""Se asignó un defensor de oficio al caso."
20. Restitution (Restitución): "The judge ordered restitution for the victims.""El juez ordenó la restitución para las víctimas."
21. Cross-Examination (Contrainterrogatorio): "The witness crumbled during cross-examination.""El testigo se desmoronó durante el contrainterrogatorio."
22. Incarceration (Encarcelamiento): "The sentence involves ten years of incarceration.""La sentencia implica diez años de encarcelamiento."
23. Statute of Limitations (Prescripción): "The case was dismissed due to the statute of limitations.""El caso fue desestimado debido a la prescripción."
24. Miranda Rights (Derechos Miranda): "He was not read his Miranda rights upon arrest.""No se le leyeron sus derechos Miranda al ser arrestado."
25. Consecutive Sentences (Sentencias Consecutivas): "The judge imposed consecutive sentences for each count.""El juez impuso sentencias consecutivas por cada cargo."

Criminal Law Master Glossary (Expanded)

Admissible Evidence (Pruebas Admisibles): Evidence that can be legally used in court.

Aggravating Factors (Factores Agravantes): Facts that increase the severity of a crime.

Alibi (Coartada): A claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when a crime took place.

Bench Warrant (Orden de Arresto Judicial): An order issued by a judge for the arrest of a person.

Booking (Registro Policial): The administrative process following an arrest.

Consecutive Sentences (Sentencias Consecutivas): Sentences served one after the other.

Extradition (Extradición): The formal process of one state surrendering an individual to another.

Incarceration (Encarcelamiento): The state of being confined in prison.

Arraignment (Lectura de Cargos): The formal reading of charges where the defendant enters a plea.

Bail (Fianza): Money or property pledged to the court to secure release.

Mitigating Circumstances (Circunstancias Atenuantes): Factors that may lessen the severity of a sentence.

Parole (Libertad Preparatoria): Release of a prisoner before completion of a maximum sentence.

Perjury (Perjurio): Willfully telling a lie in court after taking an oath.

Pro Se (Por Cuenta Propia): Representing oneself in court without an attorney.

Public Defender (Defensor de Oficio): An attorney appointed for those who cannot afford one.

Recidivism (Reincidencia): Tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.

Restitution (Restitución): Payment for injury or loss; recompense.

Statute of Limitations (Prescripción): Law setting maximum time after an event for legal proceedings.

Acquittal (Absolución): Legal judgment that a defendant is not guilty.

Verdict (Veredicto): A decision on a disputed issue in a civil or criminal case.

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