Police and legal Spanish glossary for the words that matter

Terms used

• Citación — A citación is a summons to appear at a stated place, date and time.
• Emplazamiento — An emplazamiento is a notice giving you a set period to appear in a case or answer a claim.
• Requerimiento — A requerimiento is a court order to do or stop doing something within a set time.
• Cédula — A cédula is the written document that carries a court notice, with dates and instructions.
• Procurador — A procurador is a court representative, separate from your lawyer, who files documents and receives notices for you.
• Abogado de oficio — An abogado de oficio is a state-paid lawyer provided under legal aid.
• Juzgado de guardia — The juzgado de guardia is a duty court open 24 hours for arrests and urgent matters.
• Diligencias previas — Diligencias previas are the preliminary investigation stage run by an investigating judge.

Key rules

• Read the notice: The dates and instructions are in the notice itself, so read it the day you get it.
• Procurador: A procurador is not your lawyer; in many civil cases you need both.
• Detention: If you are detained and have not chosen a lawyer, you are always given an abogado de oficio.
• Investigado: Investigado means under investigation, not yet formally charged.

Words for court papers you receive

Court papers use four words that sound alike but ask different things. Read the paper itself for the dates.

• Citación: you must appear at a stated place, date and time, for example to testify or attend a hearing. Missing it can lead to fines or a warrant.
• Emplazamiento: you have a set period to appear in the case or answer a claim. In a civil claim this can be 20 days.
• Requerimiento: an order to do or stop doing something within a set time, such as paying or producing documents.
• Cédula: the written document that carries the notice. It usually holds the summons, the deadlines and the instructions.

Notices usually arrive electronically or from a court officer. Ignoring them can lead to a judgment against you without hearing your side. Deadlines depend on the type of case, so check the notice and speak to a lawyer. The timeline and FAQ below go through these steps.

Words with no direct English equivalent

Keep these in Spanish and learn the role.

• Procurador: a legal professional, separate from your lawyer, who files documents for you in court and receives the court's notices. In many civil cases you need both.
• Abogado de oficio: a lawyer paid by the state. You get one if you meet the income criteria for free legal aid, and always if you are detained and have not chosen a lawyer.
• Juzgado de guardia: a duty court that works 24 hours a day on arrests, urgent reports of crimes and hearings for detainees.
• Diligencias previas: the first investigation stage, run by an investigating judge. Evidence is gathered before deciding whether to dismiss the case or go to trial.
• Fiscal: the public prosecutor, who also acts for victims.
• Letrado de la Administración de Justicia: the court clerk, who has procedural powers.
• Atestado: the police report of an investigation.
• Querella: a formal criminal complaint by someone who then joins the case as a party.

People and status

• Detenido: under arrest. Police can hold you up to 72 hours before you must be brought to a judge.
• Investigado: under investigation. This replaced the old word "imputado".
• Acusado: formally charged.
• Testigo: witness.
• Víctima or perjudicado: victim or injured party.
• Letrado or abogado: lawyer.
• Intérprete: interpreter.

Reports and police

• Denuncia: a report of a crime to the police or a court.
• Comisaría: police station.
• Policía Nacional, Guardia Civil, Policía Local: the main forces. Catalonia has the Mossos d'Esquadra and the Basque Country the Ertzaintza.

Court decisions and steps

• Juzgado de instrucción: the investigating court.
• Auto: a reasoned court decision.
• Sentencia: the final judgment.
• Recurso: an appeal.
• Sobreseimiento: dismissal of the case.
• Medidas cautelares: interim measures ordered while the case runs.
• Orden de alejamiento: a restraining order.
• Notificación: a formal notice.
• LexNET: the electronic system courts use to send notices.

Timeline and deadlines

• Read the cédula, the written document that carries the court notice, for its dates, deadlines and instructions: as soon as you receive it

• Attend the place, date and time named in a citación (summons): on the date and time stated in the notice

• Respond to the claim or appear in the case after an emplazamiento: within the period stated in the notice, for example 20 days to answer a civil claim

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a lawyer and a procurador?

A procurador is a separate legal professional who represents you before the court and files your documents, while your abogado advises you and argues your case. The procurador also receives the court's notifications for you.

What happens if I ignore a citación or an emplazamiento?

Ignoring a citación can lead to fines or a warrant, and ignoring an emplazamiento can lead to a default judgment against you. A citación tells you where and when to appear. An emplazamiento gives you a period to respond to a claim. Act on the notice as soon as you get it.

Is an investigado the same as an acusado?

No, an investigado is only a person under investigation, while an acusado has been formally charged. Investigado is the current word for what used to be called imputado. You may still hear the old word.

What does a requerimiento ask me to do?

A requerimiento is an order to do or stop doing something within a set time, such as paying a sum or producing documents. The time limit is written in the notice. Read it carefully and take it to a lawyer if you are unsure.