Legal dictionary · Area 2 of 17

Court Personnel & Legal Professionals — EN · ES · IT.

25 terms from Court Personnel & Legal Professionals, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.

Titles for lawyers and court officers are false friends across the three languages. A Spanish or Italian notario/notaio is a highly trained legal professional who drafts and authenticates instruments, nothing like a U.S. notary public; an Italian avvocato and a Spanish abogado both cover what English splits into attorney, counsel, barrister and solicitor; a procurador in Spain is a court representative with no U.S. counterpart. Translations of powers of attorney, engagement letters and court records keep the original title and explain the function where it matters.

Lawyer / Attorney

ENLawyer / Attorney — A qualified professional who advises and represents clients in law.

ESAbogado

ITAvvocato

Barrister / Trial lawyer

ENBarrister / Trial lawyer — A lawyer specialising in courtroom advocacy.

ESAbogado litigante

ITAvvocato cassazionista / Patrocinante

Solicitor

ENSolicitor — A lawyer handling legal matters and client representation.

ESProcurador

ITProcuratore legale

Counsel for the defense

ENCounsel for the defense — The lawyer representing the accused or defendant.

ESAbogado defensor

ITAvvocato difensore

Judge

ENJudge — A public officer who presides over and decides court cases.

ESJuez

ITGiudice

Presiding judge

ENPresiding judge — The judge who leads a panel or court session.

ESJuez de cámara / Presidente

ITPresidente del collegio

Magistrate

ENMagistrate — A judicial officer with authority to decide certain cases.

ESMagistrado

ITMagistrato

Prosecutor

ENProsecutor — The official who brings criminal charges on behalf of the state.

ESFiscal

ITPubblico ministero

Public defender

ENPublic defender — A state-appointed lawyer for those who cannot afford one.

ESDefensor oficial / Defensor público

ITDifensore d'ufficio

Clerk of court

ENClerk of court — A court official who keeps records and manages filings.

ESSecretario / Actuario

ITCancelliere

Bailiff / Process server

ENBailiff / Process server — An officer who serves documents and enforces court orders.

ESOficial de justicia / Ujier

ITUfficiale giudiziario

Notary

ENNotary — A public officer who authenticates documents and contracts.

ESEscribano / Notario

ITNotaio

Sworn translator

ENSworn translator — A translator authorised to certify legal translations.

ESTraductor público / jurado

ITTraduttore giurato

Interpreter

ENInterpreter — A person who orally translates between languages in proceedings.

ESIntérprete

ITInterprete

Expert witness

ENExpert witness — A specialist who gives expert evidence to the court.

ESPerito

ITConsulente tecnico / Perito

Court-appointed expert

ENCourt-appointed expert — An expert designated by the court to provide an opinion.

ESPerito oficial

ITConsulente tecnico d'ufficio (CTU)

Witness

ENWitness — A person who testifies about what they know.

ESTestigo

ITTestimone

Guardian ad litem

ENGuardian ad litem — A representative appointed to protect an incapable party's interests.

ESTutor ad litem / Curador

ITCuratore speciale

Legal representative

ENLegal representative — A person authorised to act on another's behalf in law.

ESRepresentante legal

ITRappresentante legale

Attorney-in-fact / Agent

ENAttorney-in-fact / Agent — A person authorised by power of attorney to act for another.

ESApoderado / Mandatario

ITProcuratore / Mandatario

Trustee

ENTrustee — A person who holds and manages property for another's benefit.

ESFiduciario / Síndico

ITFiduciario / Amministratore fiduciario

Receiver / Administrator

ENReceiver / Administrator — An official appointed to manage assets, e.g. in insolvency.

ESSíndico / Administrador judicial

ITCuratore / Amministratore giudiziario

Jury

ENJury — A group of citizens that decides questions of fact at trial.

ESJurado

ITGiuria

Court reporter

ENCourt reporter — A person who records the proceedings of a court.

ESTaquígrafo / Secretario de actas

ITStenografo / Verbalizzante

Ombudsman

ENOmbudsman — An official who investigates complaints against authorities.

ESDefensor del pueblo / Ombudsman

ITDifensore civico

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This page is for general orientation only. It is not legal advice and does not substitute for advice from licensed counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Terminology varies between countries and between civil-law and common-law systems; the equivalents shown here are the most common in cross-border practice.

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