Academic Language

Definitions, translations and interesting turns of phrase

academe. The public grove in Athens in which Plato taught; any place or institution of instruction.
academia The world of learning, especially of university.
apostille to be affixed Example: the document should be sent to the Legalisation Office for the Apostille to be affixed	apostillar: Example: enviar el documento a la Legalisation Office para Apostillar
aptitude test Example: Whereas an aptitude test may also be introduced in place of the adaptation period	prueba de aptitud: Considerando que igualmente puede establecerse una prueba de aptitud en lugar de un período de prcticas;
at all events Example: At all events, the professional experience required may not exceed four years;	en ningún caso Example: En ningún caso podrá exigirse una experiencia profesional de más de cuatro años.
authentication Example: The Consulate-General can forward to London most British public documents which need the Apostille except in the case of educational documents which need prior authentication by a UK Public Notary, Solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths after which the document should be sent to the Legalisation Office	autentificar Example: Este Consulado-General puede enviar a Londres para la obtención de la Apostilla la gran mayora de los documentos públicos del Reino Unido excepto los documentos y títulos de enseñanza británicos que deberán ser previamente enviados por el interesado a un Notario Público o abogado que ejerza en el Reino Unido. El Notario/abogado deber autentificar el documento y posteriormente enviarlo a Legalisation Office
baccalaureate	licenciatura
bachelor, technical engineer or building surveyor	diplomado, Ingeniero técnico  o Arquitecto técnico
chair Example: He has the chair in mathematics at UVLC	cátedra Example: Se va a presentar a la cátedra de literatura inglesa en la UNED
chair Example: Department Chair (Am.)	director Example Director de Departamento
diploma: (a) any diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications or any set of such diplomas, certificates or other evidence: - which has been awarded by a competent authority in a Member State, designated in accordance with its own laws, regulations or administrative provisions; - which shows that the holder has successfully completed a post-secondary course of at least three years' duration, or of an equivalent duration part-time, at a university or establishment of higher education or another establishment of similar level and, where appropriate, that he has successfully completed the professional training required in addition to the post-secondary course, and - which shows that the holder has the professional qualifications required for the taking up or pursuit of a regulated profession in that Member State, provided that the education and training attested by the diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications were received mainly in the Community, or the holder thereof has three years' professional experience certified by the Member State which recognized a third-country diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications. The following shall be treated in the same way as a diploma, within the meaning of the first subparagraph: any diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications or any set of such diplomas, certificates or other evidence awarded by a competent authority in a Member State if it is awarded on the successful completion of education and training received in the Community and recognized by a competent authority in that Member State as being of an equivalent level and if it confers the same rights in respect of the taking up and pursuit of a regulated profession in that Member State; (b) host Member State: any Member State in which a national of a Member State applies to pursue a profession subject to regulation in that Member State, other than the State in which he obtained his diploma or first pursued the profession in question; (c) a regulated profession: the regulated professional activity or range of activities which constitute this profession in a Member State; (d) regulated professional activity: a professional activity, in so far as the taking up or pursuit of such activity or one of its modes of pursuit in a Member State is subject, directly or indirectly by virtue of laws, regulations or administrative provisions, to the possession of a diploma. The following in particular shall constitute a mode of pursuit of a regulated professional activity: - pursuit of an activity under a professional title, in so far as the use of such a title is reserved to the holders of a diploma governed by laws, regulations or administrative provisions, - pursuit of a professional activity relating to health, in so far as remuneration and/or reimbursement for such an activity is subject by virtue of national social security arrangements to the possession of a diploma.	título/diploma a) Título: cualquier título, certificado u otro diploma o cualquier conjunto de tales títulos, certificados u otros diplomas: - expedido por una autoridad competente en un Estado miembro, designada con arreglo a las disposiciones legales, reglamentarias o administrativas de dicho Estado, - que acredite que el titular ha cursado con éxito un ciclo de estudios postsecundarios de una duración mínima de tres años, o de una duración equivalente a tiempo parcial, en una universidad, en un centro de enseñanza superior o en otro centro del mismo nivel de formación y, en su caso, que ha cursado con éxito la formación profesional requerida, además del ciclo de estudios postsecundarios, y - que acredite que el titular posee las cualificaciones profesionales requeridas para acceder a una profesión regulada en dicho Estado miembro o ejercerla, siempre que la formación sancionada por dicho título, certificado u otro diploma haya sido adquirida, principalmente, en la Comunidad, o cuando su titular tenga una experiencia profesional de tres años certificada por el Estado miembro que haya reconocido el título, certificado u otro diploma expedido en un país tercero. Se equipararán los títulos a los efectos del párrafo primero, los títulos, certificados o diplomas, o cualquier conjunto de tales títulos, certificados u otros diplomas, expedidos por una autoridad competente en un Estado miembro, que sancionen una formación adquirida en la Comunidad, reconocida por una autoridad competente en dicho Estado miembro como de nivel equivalente, y que confiera los mismos derechos de acceso o de ejercicio de una profesión regulada; b)  Estado miembro de acogida  : el Estado miembro en el que un nacional de un Estado miembro solicite ejercer una profesión que en dicho Estado se halle regulada, y que no sea el Estado en el que haya obtenido su título o en el que haya ejercido por vez primera la actividad de que se trate; c)  profesión regulada : la actividad o conjunto de actividades profesionales reguladas que constituyen esta profesión en un Estado miembro; d)  actividad profesional regulada  : una actividad profesional cuyo acceso, ejercicio o alguna de sus modalidades de ejercicio en un Estado miembro están sometidas directa o indirectamente, en virtud de disposiciones legales, reglamentarias o administrativas, a la posesión de un título. Constituye, en especial, una modalidad de ejercicio de una actividad profesional regulada: - el ejercicio de una actividad al amparo de un título profesional, en la medida en que sólo se autorice a ostentar dicho título a quienes se encuentren en posesión de un título determinado por las disposiciones legales, reglamentarias o administrativas; - el ejercicio de una actividad profesional en el ámbito de la sanidad en la medida en que el régimen nacional de Seguridad Social supedite la remuneración y/o el reembolso de dicha actividad a la posesión de un título.
distinction (Br.) (grade)	sobresaliente
dual honours degrees “which consist of two subjects each with half the wieght of a single subject” (Sheffield)	doble licenciatura
fee reimbursement	reembolso de tasas
grades	calificaciones
graduate	licenciado
graduate studies	estudios postgrado
Hague Convention: The convention abolishes the requirement of diplomatic and consular legalization for public documents originating in one Convention country and intended for use in another. Documents issued in a Convention country which have been certified by a Convention apostille are entitled to recognition in any other Convention country without any further authentication. Such recognition is an obligation on the part of the United States to the other countries party to the Convention and the federal courts and state authorities have been alerted to this obligation. Consular officers in Convention countries are prohibited from placing a certification over the Convention apostille.	Convención de la Haya: La Convención suprime el requisito de legalización diplomática y consular de los documentos públicos que se originen en un país de la Convención y que se pretendan utilizar en otro. Los documentos emitidos en un país de la Convención que hayan sido certificados por una apostilla de la Convención deberán ser reconocidos en cualquier otro país de la Convención sin necesidad de otro tipo de autenticación. Este reconocimiento es una obligación por parte de EE. UU. con respecto a los otros pases que forman parte de la Convención y tanto los tribunales federales como las autoridades estatales han sido advertidas de esta obligacin. Se prohbe a los funcionarios consulares en los pases de la Convención que expidan un certificado anexo a la apostilla de la Convención.
Having regard to Example: Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community/ Having regard to the proposal from the Commission	Visto el/la Example: Visto el Tratado constitutivo de la Comunidad Económica Europea/ Vista la propuesta de la Comisión
Holder: which shows that the holder has successfully completed a post-secondary course of at least three years' duration	Titular: Example: que acredite que el titular ha cursado con éxito un ciclo de estudios postsecundarios de una duración mínima de tres años
Homologation: it refers to complete recognition of University and Vocational Training Degrees obtained in another country and is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Culture.	Homologación
host Member State	Estado miembro de acogida
Invigilate (see proctoring) Example: I have to invigilate an examination tomorrow.	Vigilar Example: Me tocó vigilar un examen de Mayores de 25 años
laid down in Example: where the matters covered by the education and training he has received as laid down in Article 3 (a) and (b), differ substantially from those covered by the diploma required in the host Member State,	dispuesto en Example: cuando la formación que haya recibido, con arreglo a lo dispuesto en las letras a) y b) del artículo 3, comprenda materias sustancialmente diferentes de las cubiertas por el título exigido en el Estado miembro de acogida
lecturer	profesor titular (tenured), profesor asociado (non-tenured)
merit (Br.) (grade)	notable
mutual recognition of diplomas	reconocimiento recíproco de títulos
non-invigilated exam	trabajos escritos
pass (grade)	aprobado
professor In America he or she is called a full professor	catedrático
reading Example: "Students reading for a single honours degree"	cursando estudios
recognition: is a term usually referred to the recognition of qualifications obtained in the European Union countries to be used for professional purposes.	reconocimiento
registered post	correo certificado
registrar (see secretary)	secretario
secretary (see registrar) Registrar and Secretary (Univ. Sheffield)	secretario
semester	cuatrimestre
set text	texto de lectura obligatoria
single honours	licenciatura
sobresaliente matrcula de honour	distinction with honours
taught M.A. courses	masters presencial
undergraduate	alumno/a de primer y segundo ciclo
validation: is a term used in connection with partial recognition of studies and is the responsibility of the universities when referred to higher education, and the responsibility of Ministry of Education and Culture when referred to primary or secondary studies.	convalidación:
whereas (pursuant) Example: Whereas, pursuant to Article 3 (c) of the Treaty the abolition, as between Member States, of obstacles to freedom of movement for persons and services constitutes one of the objectives of the Community/ Whereas the provisions so far adopted by the Council, and pursuant to which Member States recognize mutually and for professional purposes higher-education diplomas issued within their territory, concern only a few professions;	considerando (en virtud de) Example: Considerando que, en virtud de lo dispuesto en el párrafo c) del artículo 3 del Tratado, la supresión, entre los Estados miembros, de los obstáculos a la libre circulación de personas y servicios constituye uno de los objetivos de la Comunidad/ Considerando que las disposiciones que hasta el presente ha adoptado el Consejo, en virtud de las cuales los Estados miembros reconocen entre s, y con fines profesionales, los títulos de enseñanza superior expedidos en sus territorios, afectan a pocas profesiones;
with a view to Example: Member States reserve the option of fixing such a level with a view to guaranteeing the quality of services provided in their territory	con el fin Example: los Estados miembros conservan la facultad de fijar dicho nivel con el fin de garantizar la calidad de las prestaciones realizadas en sus respectivos territorios
without prejudice Example: Without prejudice to Articles 3 and 4,	sin perjuicio Example: Sin perjuicio de lo dispuesto en los artculos 3 y 4

Strictly Legal language http://dictionary.law.com/

Definitions, translations and interesting turns of phrase

Absolute Discharge The court takes no further action against an offender, but the offence and the discharge will appear on his criminal record
Acquittal At the end of a trial the court finds a suspect of an offence not guilty
action in personam An action against the person, founded on a personal liability. In contrast to action in rem, an action for the recovery of a specific object, usually an item of personal property such as an automobile.
action in rem Proceeding "against the thing" as compared to personal actions (in personam). Usually a proceeding where property is involved.
affidavit A written and sworn statement witnessed by a notary public or another official possessing the authority to administer oaths. Affidavits may be admitted into evidence.
Appeal Court The higher court to which cases are sent when either the defence or prosecution (if it is an appeal about the sentence) wish to challenge the result from a Magistrates or Crown Court case
appellate court A court which hears appeals from a lower court.
arraignment In a misdemeanor case, the initial appearance before a judge at which the criminal defendant enters a plea; in a felony case, the proceeding after the indictment or bindover at which the defendant comes before a judge in district court, is informed of the charges, enters a plea, and has a date set for trial or disposition.
arrest: Someone suspected of an offence is lawfully detained by a constable.
Attorney General: Government Minister responsible for prosecutions and the Crown Prosecution Service
Bail Remand: A suspect who has been arrested or charged with an offence is released by the police or court on condition that they report back at a certain date and time. Sometimes the suspect has to keep to certain conditions, such as living in a particular place, or not going near witnesses.
Barrister: A lawyer who has been called to the bar and is qualified to appear in all courts.
caveat: "Let him beware". A formal notice or warning given by a party to a court or judge against the performance of certain acts within his or her power and jurisdiction.
caveat emptor: "Let the buyer beware" encourages a purchaser to examine, judge and test for himself.
Civil Code	Código Civil
Civil Law of the Provinces	Leyes Civiles Forales
code of criminal procedure:Body of federal or state law dealing with procedural aspects of trial for criminal cases.	Código Penal
Commercial Code	Código Comercio
common law: General provisions of law existing before codification or interpretation by courts.
Conditional Discharge: No further action is taken against an offender unless they commit a further offence within a given period (no more than 3 years)
Conviction: When an offender has pleaded or been found guilty of an offence in a court he or she is said to have been convicted. The conviction then appears on the offender's criminal record.
Cross-examination: A witness in a court case is questioned about their evidence by the solicitor or barrister representing the opposing side, so a prosecution witness is cross-examined by the defendant's lawyer, and a defence witness by the prosecution lawyer.
Crown Court: (Br.) The Crown Court is the second tier in the English court system. A judge hears the cases, and trials are heard by a jury. The Crown Court deals with crime which is too serious to be heard by the magistrates' court, and cases referred by the magistrates for sentence where their powers are not adequate.
Crown Prosecution Service CPS: (Br.) The public prosecution service. The Crown Prosecution Service decides whether there is enough evidence to take a case to court, and whether it would be in the public interest. After the decision to prosecute has been taken the CPS employs the lawyers who represent the prosecution at court.
defendant: Person accused of a crime in court
District Judge: A legally qualified professional judge who sits in the magistrates court.
due process: The guidelines set by which criminal cases must be followed in order to ensure a fair trial
embezzlement: The fraudulent appropriation by a person to his own use or benefit or property or money entrusted to him by another.
escheat: In American law, the right of the state to an estate left vacant, to which no one makes a valid claim.
escrow: A writing, deed money, stock, or other property is given to a third person to hold until all conditions in a contract are fulfilled.
estoppel: A person's own act. or acceptance of facts. which preclude later claims to the contrary.
ex parte: By or for a single party; done for, in behalf of or on the application of one party only as distinguished from an adversary (contested).
ex post facto: After the fact, ordinarily used in reference to constitutional prohibition on ex post facto laws. For example, a person cannot be punished for conduct committed before a criminal law was enacted.
felony: (Am.) A crime punishable by death or imprisonment for a term of not less than one year, and the crime is of a more serious nature than a misdemeanor.
garnishment: A court order to take part of a person's wages, before he gets them, and apply the amount taken to pay a debt owed to a creditor.
Home Office: (Br.) Government department responsible for all national issues such as crime and immigration
impanel: To seat a jury. When voir dire is finished and both sides have exercised their challenges, the jury is impaneled. The jurors are sworn in and the trial is ready to proceed.
judge: The person who presides over the higher criminal courts - the Crown Court and Court of Appeal. Judges are trained lawyers who have been appointed after a distinguished career as a barrister or solicitor.
labour code	código del trabajo
law of civil procedure	ley de enjuiciamiento civil
law of criminal procedure	ley de enjuiciamiento criminal
levy: A seizure; the obtaining of money by legal process through seizure and sale of property.
lien: A claim which a person has upon the property of another as security for a debt owned to the lienholder.
lis pendens: A pending suit.
magistrate: (Br.) Someone who sits as part of a group of three and acts as a judge in the Magistrates court. Magistrates in England and Wales are volunteers who have been specially trained for the task and are unpaid apart from their expenses.
magistrate: (Am.) An officer having power to issue a warrant for the arrest of a person charges with a crime; includes any justice or judge of the appellate courts. and judges of the district court.
magistrates court: (Br.) The Magistrates Court deals with most motoring offences and less serious crime. The judges in Magistrates Court are either a group of three lay (volunteer) magistrates or a District Judge who is a professional. The magistrates court has limits on its sentencing powers but can send cases to the Crown Court for sentence if necessary.
mens rea: Literally, "guilty mind." The intent required to commit the crime. It is a prerequisite to conviction for a crime involving a moral wrong, but it is not a prerequisite to conviction for an act that is a crime only because a statute designates it to be a crime, e.g., overtime parking.
misdemeanor: A minor offense, lower than a felony, and punishable by a fine or imprisonment other than in penitentiaries.
moot: A case is moot when a determination sought on a matter cannot have any practical effect on the existing controversy.
moral turpitud: Immorality. An element of crimes inherently bad (malum in se), as opposed to crimes bad merely because forbidden by statute (malum prohibitum).
nolo contenders: A Latin phrase meaning : I will not contest it. " A plea in a criminal case which does not require the defendant to admit guilt, but the defendant does not contest the facts on which the charge is based.
nunc pro tunc: Acts allowed to be done after the time when they should be done, with a retroactive effect.
penal code	Código Penal
plaintiff: A person who files a lawsuit.
precedent: A rule of law that is established by an appellate court in an earlier case serves a s binding precedent in all subsequent similar cases.
privity: Mutual or successive relationships to the same right of property, or the same interest of one person with another which represents the same legal right.
pro se: For himself; in his own behalf. One who does not retain a lawyer and appears for himself in court.
prosecution: A case brought against a person; the lawyer(s) responsible for putting forward the case against a defendant.
ratio decidendi: The ground or reason of the decision in a case.
remand in custody/remanded: A defendant is imprisoned while awaiting trial.
res ipsa loquitur: Literally, "a thing that speaks for itself. " In tort law, the doctrine which holds a defendant guilty of negligence without an actual showing that he or she was negligent.
res judicata: A rule of civil law that once a matter has been litigated and final judgment has been rendered by the trial court, the matter cannot be relitigated by the parties in the same court, or any other trial court.
slander: base and defamatory spoken words tending to prejudice another in reputation, business or means of livelihood. "Libel" and "slander" both are methods of defamation, the former being expressed by print, writings, pictures or signs; the latter orally.
solicitor: (Br.) A lawyer who advises clients on matters of law, prepares cases, and may appear only in some courts.
standard of proof: There are essentially three standards of proof applicable in most court proceedings. In criminal cases , the offense must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest standard. In civil, cases and neglect and dependency proceedings, the lowest standard applies by a mere preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not). In some civil cases, and in juvenile proceedings such as a permanent termination of parental rights, an intermediate standard applies : proof by clear and convincing evidence.
stare decisis: The doctrine that once a principal of law has been determined to be applicable to certain facts, that principle will be followed in future cases involving substantially identical facts.
statement: A description of the events of a crime, or relating to a crime, given to the police during investigation.
subpoena: An official order to appear in court (or at a deposition) at a specific time. Failure to obey a subpoena to appear in court is punishable as a contempt of court.
tort: An injury or wrong committed, either with or without force, to the person or property of another, for which civil liability may be imposed.
verdict: The verdict in a criminal trial is the point at which the Magistrates (in a Magistrates Court) or the jury (in a Crown Court) say whether they have found the defendent guilty or not guilty.	sentencia
voir dire: "To speak the truth. " The questioning of potential jurors by the judge and the lawyers to determine any biases, prejudices or other reasons for disqualification.	examen preliminar de la fiabilidad de un testigo
writ of certiorari: A procedure requesting appellate review. It is discretionary. If the writ is denied, the higher court refuses to hear the appeal and the judgment in the lower court stands unchanged. If the writ is granted, the higher court hears the appeal.

accountability without intention or negligence	imputabilidad sin dolo ni negligencia Example: para referirse a todos aquellos supuestos en los que alguien responde por hecho ajeno, por la tenencia de animales, por llevar a cabo determinados procesos o por cosas que se hallan en su poder
and for his reasons	y expone las razones siguientes
as per	a tenor del
case	causa
cause coming on to be heard upon… (This)	Habiéndose celebrado la vista en esta causa…
comes now	aquí se presenta
compensary damages.	indemnización por daños y perjuicios.
conditions and orders heretofore entered by this Honorable Court…	condiciones y órdenes dictadas hasta ahora por este Juzgado...
costs and attorneys fees.	costes y honorarios.
dissolution of marriage	disolución de matrimonio
entering into a Property Settlement Agreement (The parties anticipate)	Las partes esperan celebrar un acuerdo de liquidación de bienes gananciales
estado civil	marital status
execution issue forthwith (let)	deberá expedirse mandamiento de ejecución inmediatamente
family division	división de relaciones familiares
file (to)	presentar
filing this action (before)	anterior a la presentación de esta accción
final judgement	sentencia firme
first-time offender	infractor sin antecedentes penales
formal order	orden solemne
from the date	desde el momento
granted a judgement against Respondent (That Petitioner is hereby)	otorgar sentencia a favor del demandante contra la demandada.
hearing	vista
hereinabove referred to	antes aludido aquí
honorable Court	juzgado
in the best interest of (Not)	resulta beneficioso (no)
in the event that one is not reached	En caso de que esto no se logre
in the opinion of	a juicio del/ de la
intention	dolo
irretrievably broken	irreparablemente roto (El matrimonio se encuentra)
let the record reflect...	que conste en actas...
merits of the case	fondo o sustancia del asunto, base jurídica de la causa
motion for summary	decision petición de sentencia sumaria
motion to compel	petición de obligar
motion to dismiss	petición de dar por terminado, de rechazar la demanda
motion to strike, move to strike	petición de anulación, de eliminación
motion to suppress evidence	petición para que se excluya prueba obtenida ilegalmente; pedimento de exclusión de pruebas
newly retained attorney	nuevo letrado
ordered and adjudged (It is)	se ordena y falla.
out of court settlement	acuerdo extrajudicial
parties were married to each other (the parties were married to each other)	Las partes contrajeron matrimonio entre sí
personal information	datos personales
persuant to	de acuerdo con
petition for visitation rights	petición sobre derechos de visita
Petitioner	Solicitante
petitioner	el demandante/el solicitante
petitioner husband	esposo demandante
plaintiff	demandante, actor
pray accordingly (to)	presentar la solicitud que corresponda
pro se (the Claimant appeared)	compareció la demandante por su propia representación y derecho
property settlement agreement	convenio de liquidación de bienes gananciales
property settlement agreement (that there was a)	que las partes celebraron un convenio de liquedación de bienes gananciales
record of appearance	acta de comparecencia
remain in full force and effect (shall)	quedarán en plena fuerza y vigor (las condiciones...).
report number	atestado num
request a leave to amend	solicitar permiso del juzgado para corregir esta petición
respondent-wife	esposa demandada
restraining order	orden inhibitoria
said	el/la mencionado
separate and apart (are currently living)	viven aparte y separados
strict liability	responsabilidad objetiva
subpoena (noun)	citación, citatorio, orden de comparecencia
subpoena duces tecum	orden judicial de aportar pruebas
sui juris (To be)	estar en plena potestad
time-barred, past statutory deadline	extemporáneo
to enter	dejar registrado
to lodge (a complaint)	presentar, entablar, interponer, radicar (Puerto Rico)
to wit	a saber, es decir
tort law	responsabilidad civil
until further order of the court	hasta que el juzgado dispusiera otra cosa
vicarious liability	responsabilidad por hecho ajeno o responsabilidad vicaria
waive (the right to)	renunciar el derecho de
whereas	por cuanto, visto que, considerando, en vista de, en tanto que
willfully and deliberately	deliberada e intencionalmente