Legal dictionary · Area 8 of 17
Family & Succession Law — EN · ES · IT.
48 terms from Family & Succession Law, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.
Family and inheritance documents are the ones most often translated for immigration, citizenship and probate. Marital-property regimes (sociedad de gananciales, comunione dei beni), forced heirship (legítima, legittima) and the distinction between separación and divorcio, or separazione and divorzio, have no American analogue and cannot be silently converted. Vital records add their own conventions — double surnames, the Italian estratto per riassunto, annotations in the margin — which a certified translation must reproduce faithfully for USCIS, consulates and courts.
Civil union / Partnership
ENCivil union / Partnership — A legally recognised partnership between two persons.
ESUnión civil / convivencial
ITUnione civile
Cohabitation
ENCohabitation — Living together as a couple without marriage.
ESConcubinato / Unión convivencial
ITConvivenza di fatto
Prenuptial agreement
ENPrenuptial agreement — An agreement on property made before marriage.
ESCapitulaciones / Convención prematrimonial
ITConvenzione matrimoniale
Matrimonial property regime
ENMatrimonial property regime — The rules governing spouses' property.
ESRégimen patrimonial del matrimonio
ITRegime patrimoniale
Community of property
ENCommunity of property — A regime where spouses share property acquired in marriage.
ESComunidad de bienes / ganancial
ITComunione dei beni
Separation of property
ENSeparation of property — A regime where spouses keep their property separate.
ESSeparación de bienes
ITSeparazione dei beni
Legal separation
ENLegal separation — A court-sanctioned living apart without ending marriage.
ESSeparación personal / legal
ITSeparazione legale
Annulment
ENAnnulment — A declaration that a marriage was never valid.
ESNulidad del matrimonio
ITAnnullamento del matrimonio
Alimony / Maintenance
ENAlimony / Maintenance — Financial support paid to a spouse or relative.
ESAlimentos / Cuota alimentaria
ITAssegno di mantenimento / Alimenti
Child support
ENChild support — Payments for the support of a child.
ESCuota alimentaria (hijos)
ITMantenimento dei figli
Joint custody
ENJoint custody — Shared parental responsibility for a child.
ESTenencia compartida
ITAffidamento condiviso
Parental authority
ENParental authority — Parents' rights and duties toward their children.
ESResponsabilidad parental / Patria potestad
ITResponsabilità genitoriale / Potestà
Visitation rights
ENVisitation rights — A parent's right to spend time with their child.
ESRégimen de visitas / comunicación
ITDiritto di visita
Filiation / Parentage
ENFiliation / Parentage — The legal relationship between parent and child.
ESFiliación
ITFiliazione
Acknowledgment of paternity
ENAcknowledgment of paternity — Formal recognition of a child as one's own.
ESReconocimiento de paternidad
ITRiconoscimento di paternità
Guardianship
ENGuardianship — Legal responsibility for a minor or incapable person.
ESTutela
ITTutela
Succession / Inheritance
ENSuccession / Inheritance — The transfer of a deceased person's estate.
ESSucesión / Herencia
ITSuccessione / Eredità
Estate
ENEstate — The total property left by a deceased person.
ESAcervo hereditario / Patrimonio
ITAsse ereditario / Patrimonio
Forced heir
ENForced heir — An heir entitled to a reserved share of the estate.
ESHeredero forzoso / legitimario
ITLegittimario
Will / Testament
ENWill / Testament — A document directing the distribution of one's estate.
ESTestamento
ITTestamento
Holographic will
ENHolographic will — A will entirely handwritten by the testator.
ESTestamento ológrafo
ITTestamento olografo
Public will
ENPublic will — A will executed before a notary and witnesses.
ESTestamento por acto público
ITTestamento pubblico
Intestate succession
ENIntestate succession — Inheritance according to law when there is no will.
ESSucesión intestada / ab intestato
ITSuccessione legittima
Reserved portion / Legitime
ENReserved portion / Legitime — The share of an estate reserved for forced heirs.
ESLegítima / Porción legítima
ITQuota di legittima / Riserva
Disposable portion
ENDisposable portion — The part of an estate freely disposable by will.
ESPorción disponible
ITQuota disponibile
Acceptance of inheritance
ENAcceptance of inheritance — An heir's act of taking on the estate.
ESAceptación de la herencia
ITAccettazione dell'eredità
Renunciation of inheritance
ENRenunciation of inheritance — An heir's refusal of the inheritance.
ESRenuncia a la herencia
ITRinuncia all'eredità
Partition of estate
ENPartition of estate — The division of an estate among heirs.
ESPartición de la herencia
ITDivisione ereditaria
Domestic partnership
ENDomestic partnership — A legally recognised partnership of cohabitants.
ESUnión convivencial registrada
ITConvivenza registrata
Paternity test
ENPaternity test — A test establishing biological parentage.
ESPrueba de paternidad / ADN
ITTest di paternità
Surrogacy
ENSurrogacy — An arrangement to bear a child for another.
ESGestación por sustitución / subrogada
ITMaternità surrogata / Gestazione per altri
Foster care
ENFoster care — Temporary care of a child by non-parents.
ESAcogimiento / Guarda
ITAffidamento familiare
Spousal support
ENSpousal support — Financial support paid to a former spouse.
ESCuota alimentaria entre cónyuges
ITAssegno divorzile
Living will / Advance directive
ENLiving will / Advance directive — Instructions on future medical care if incapacitated.
ESDirectivas anticipadas / Testamento vital
ITDisposizioni anticipate di trattamento (DAT)
Estate inventory
ENEstate inventory — A list of a deceased person's assets and debts.
ESInventario sucesorio
ITInventario ereditario
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- Notarial, Apostille & Certification
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- All areas — dictionary index
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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