Legal dictionary · Area 1 of 17
General & Procedural Law — EN · ES · IT.
68 terms from General & Procedural Law, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.
Procedural vocabulary is where the common-law and civil-law traditions diverge most visibly. A U.S. complaint opens a lawsuit, whereas a Spanish demanda or an Italian atto di citazione does the same work under different rules of pleading; discovery has no true equivalent in Spain, Latin America or Italy, where evidence is gathered under the judge's direction. Certified translations of pleadings therefore preserve the source-system term and, where the reader needs it, add the closest functional equivalent rather than substituting one for the other.
Action / Lawsuit
ENAction / Lawsuit — A legal proceeding by which a party seeks to enforce a right in court.
ESAcción / Demanda
ITAzione / Causa
Appeal
ENAppeal — A request to a higher court to review and change a lower court's decision.
ESApelación / Recurso
ITAppello / Impugnazione
Appellee / Respondent
ENAppellee / Respondent — The party against whom an appeal is filed.
ESApelado / Recurrido
ITAppellato
Brief / Pleading
ENBrief / Pleading — A written legal argument submitted to the court.
ESEscrito / Alegato
ITMemoria / Atto difensivo
Burden of proof
ENBurden of proof — The duty of a party to prove the facts it alleges.
ESCarga de la prueba
ITOnere della prova
Case / Cause
ENCase / Cause — A matter or dispute brought before a court.
ESCausa / Expediente
ITCausa / Procedimento
Case file / Docket
ENCase file / Docket — The complete set of documents in a court proceeding.
ESExpediente
ITFascicolo processuale
Claim
ENClaim — An assertion of a right or demand for relief.
ESPretensión / Reclamo
ITDomanda / Pretesa
Complaint / Statement of claim
ENComplaint / Statement of claim — The document that initiates a civil lawsuit.
ESDemanda
ITAtto di citazione
Counterclaim
ENCounterclaim — A claim brought by a defendant against the plaintiff.
ESReconvención / Contrademanda
ITDomanda riconvenzionale
Court
ENCourt — A body with authority to adjudicate legal disputes.
ESTribunal / Juzgado
ITTribunale / Corte
Court of first instance
ENCourt of first instance — The court where a case is first heard and decided.
ESJuzgado de primera instancia
ITTribunale di primo grado
Court of appeal
ENCourt of appeal — An intermediate court that reviews trial-court decisions.
ESCámara de apelaciones
ITCorte d'appello
Supreme Court
ENSupreme Court — The highest court in a jurisdiction.
ESCorte Suprema
ITCorte Suprema / Cassazione
Cross-examination
ENCross-examination — Questioning of a witness by the opposing party.
ESRepreguntas / Contrainterrogatorio
ITControesame
Damages
ENDamages — Monetary compensation awarded for loss or injury.
ESDaños y perjuicios
ITDanni / Risarcimento
Defendant
ENDefendant — The party against whom a claim or charge is brought.
ESDemandado / Imputado
ITConvenuto / Imputato
Deposition / Witness statement
ENDeposition / Witness statement — A witness's recorded out-of-court testimony.
ESDeclaración testimonial
ITDeposizione testimoniale
Discovery / Disclosure
ENDiscovery / Disclosure — Pre-trial exchange of evidence between parties.
ESProducción de prueba / Exhibición
ITEsibizione / Istruzione probatoria
Dismissal
ENDismissal — A court order ending a case without a full trial.
ESDesestimación / Rechazo
ITRigetto / Archiviazione
Enforcement / Execution
ENEnforcement / Execution — The process of compelling compliance with a judgment.
ESEjecución
ITEsecuzione forzata
Evidence
ENEvidence — Information presented to establish facts in a case.
ESPrueba
ITProva / Mezzi di prova
Filing
ENFiling — The act of submitting a document to the court.
ESPresentación / Interposición
ITDeposito / Iscrizione a ruolo
Injunction
ENInjunction — A court order requiring a party to do or stop doing something.
ESMedida cautelar / Interdicto
ITProvvedimento d'urgenza / Inibitoria
Judgment / Ruling
ENJudgment / Ruling — The court's final decision in a case.
ESSentencia / Fallo
ITSentenza
Jurisdiction
ENJurisdiction — The authority of a court to hear and decide a matter.
ESJurisdicción / Competencia
ITGiurisdizione / Competenza
Lawsuit / Litigation
ENLawsuit / Litigation — A dispute resolved through the court system.
ESLitigio
ITContenzioso / Lite
Legal aid
ENLegal aid — State-funded legal assistance for those who cannot afford it.
ESBeneficio de litigar sin gastos
ITPatrocinio a spese dello Stato
Mediation
ENMediation — A process where a neutral third party helps settle a dispute.
ESMediación
ITMediazione
Arbitration
ENArbitration — Dispute resolution by a private arbitrator instead of a court.
ESArbitraje
ITArbitrato
Motion
ENMotion — A formal request for a court to issue a ruling.
ESPetición / Moción
ITIstanza / Ricorso
Notice / Service of process
ENNotice / Service of process — Formal delivery of legal documents to a party.
ESNotificación / Cédula
ITNotifica
Order / Decree
ENOrder / Decree — A formal direction or decision issued by a court.
ESAuto / Decreto / Providencia
ITOrdinanza / Decreto
Petition
ENPetition — A formal written request to a court or authority.
ESPetición / Recurso
ITRicorso
Plaintiff / Claimant
ENPlaintiff / Claimant — The party who initiates a civil lawsuit.
ESDemandante / Actor
ITAttore / Ricorrente
Precedent
ENPrecedent — A prior decision used as authority in later cases.
ESPrecedente / Jurisprudencia
ITPrecedente
Procedure
ENProcedure — The formal rules governing the conduct of a case.
ESProcedimiento
ITProcedura / Rito
Proceedings
ENProceedings — The series of steps in a legal case.
ESActuaciones / Diligencias
ITProcedimento
Res judicata
ENRes judicata — A matter finally decided and no longer subject to appeal.
ESCosa juzgada
ITCosa giudicata
Ruling on the merits
ENRuling on the merits — A decision based on the substance of the dispute.
ESResolución sobre el fondo
ITDecisione nel merito
Settlement
ENSettlement — A resolution of a dispute agreed by the parties.
ESAcuerdo / Transacción / Conciliación
ITTransazione / Accordo
Statute of limitations
ENStatute of limitations — The time limit within which legal action must be brought.
ESPrescripción
ITPrescrizione
Subpoena / Summons
ENSubpoena / Summons — An order requiring a person to appear or produce evidence.
ESCitación / Emplazamiento
ITCitazione
Trial
ENTrial — The formal examination of evidence and law before a court.
ESJuicio
ITProcesso / Dibattimento
Writ
ENWrit — A formal written command issued by a court.
ESMandamiento / Orden judicial
ITMandato / Ordine giudiziario
Costs / Court fees
ENCosts / Court fees — The expenses of litigation, including court charges.
ESCostas / Aranceles
ITSpese processuali
Default judgment
ENDefault judgment — A judgment entered when a party fails to appear.
ESSentencia en rebeldía
ITSentenza contumaciale
Appeal in cassation
ENAppeal in cassation — An appeal limited to questions of law before a supreme court.
ESRecurso de casación
ITRicorso per cassazione
Allegation
ENAllegation — A statement of fact a party intends to prove.
ESAlegación
ITAllegazione / Asserzione
Affidavit
ENAffidavit — A written statement of facts confirmed by oath.
ESDeclaración jurada / Afidávit
ITDichiarazione giurata
Stay of proceedings
ENStay of proceedings — A halt of proceedings ordered by the court.
ESSuspensión del proceso
ITSospensione del procedimento
Adjournment
ENAdjournment — The postponement of a hearing to a later date.
ESCuarto intermedio / Aplazamiento
ITRinvio dell'udienza
Joinder
ENJoinder — The combining of parties or claims in one action.
ESLitisconsorcio / Acumulación
ITLitisconsorzio
Standing (to sue)
ENStanding (to sue) — A party's right to bring a particular claim.
ESLegitimación activa
ITLegittimazione ad agire
Venue
ENVenue — The proper geographic court for a case.
ESCompetencia territorial / Fuero
ITForo competente
Costs order
ENCosts order — A ruling on who pays the costs of litigation.
ESCondena en costas
ITCondanna alle spese
Interim measure
ENInterim measure — A temporary court order pending final decision.
ESMedida cautelar
ITMisura cautelare
Class action
ENClass action — A suit brought on behalf of a group of claimants.
ESAcción de clase / colectiva
ITAzione collettiva / di classe
Recusal / Challenge of judge
ENRecusal / Challenge of judge — Removal or withdrawal of a judge for partiality.
ESRecusación
ITRicusazione / Astensione
Other areas of the dictionary
- Court Personnel & Legal Professionals
- Civil Law & Obligations
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Tort / Civil Liability
- Property & Real Estate Law
- Family & Succession Law
- Commercial, Corporate & Company Law
- Constitutional & Administrative Law
- Labor / Employment Law
- Tax & Financial Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Notarial, Apostille & Certification
- Latin Legal Terms & Maxims
- Immigration & Citizenship
- Banking, Insurance & Finance
- 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.
Need a term translated in context?
Send the document or passage and the target jurisdiction. Carol will respond with a quote and a recommended approach — usually within one business day.
Request a quote →