U.S. - Italian legal vocabulary

U.S. - Italian legal vocabulary

What do Π and Δ mean in U.S. legalese?

Today it occurred to me that after 9 posts, some of you may not know the difference between a plaintiff and a defendant. So I thought it would be useful a pret-a-porter English -Italian legal dictionary.

Starting from scratch, hereafter you will find some basic English legal terms followed by some technical expressions and with the italian translation at the end.

1.trial = the examination before a judicial tribunal = processo

fair trial =processo equo

trial by jury =processo con la partecipazione della giuria

trial by court=processo senza la partecipazione della giuria

For the Italian law students, remember that processo is not to be translated with the english term process.

2.claimant\plaintiff = the party that starts the trial = attore\ricorrente

rightful claimant = avente diritto

3.respondent \ defendant =the party that is defending himself\herself in court from the accusations\ requests of the plaintiff = convenuto

4.to sue =commence and carry out legal action against someone = citare\convenire in giudizio qualcuno

5.suit\lawsuit =any proceeding in a court of justice where the plaintiff pursues the remedy the law affords him for the redress of an injury or enforcement of a right = azione\istanza\procedimento civile\ controversia

6.to acquit =pronounce someone not guilty of a crime = assolvere

The noun is acquittal=assoluzione

7.to convict= the opposite of acquitting, means pronouncing someone guilty of a crime = condannare

The same word (convict, to be read as /kənˈvɪkt/) can be the verb, with the meaning we've just seen, and also the noun (to be read as /ˈkɒnvɪkt/) meaning a person found guilty of a crime\ a person serving prison sentence =condannato.

The only difference is the accent.

8.hearing=proceeding before a judge \ official in a lawsuit (similar in meaning to sitting) = udienza

to hold a hearing=tenere udienza

adversary hearing=udienza accusatoria

preliminary hearing=udienza preliminare

hearing of an action=udienza di causa civile

hearing (or sitting) in camera=udienza a porte chiuse

In this case the verb is to hear=to give formal hearing

to hear a case =esaminare un caso

9.pleadings=formal allegations by the parties of their respective claims and defenses=difese, memorie, note

The relative verb is to plead=to make any allegation or plea in an action of law; to put forward an answer on the part of a defendant to a legal declaration or charge; to address a court as an advocate=fare una dichiarazione; addurre un argomento; patrocinare

to plead guilty=dichiararsi colpevole

to plead a case=difendere, perorare una causa

10.appeal=to resort to a higher court, to review the decision of a lower court=appello.

to file (or to lodge) an appeal=presentare un ricorso in appello

to appeal against a sentence=appellare contro una sentenza

to give notice of appeal=ricorrere in appello

This 10 - term vocabulary is just the first of a series of  posts focused on improving your legal\comparative dictionary.

p.s. I didn't forget the question in the title: in a U.S. legal firm, when drafting informal documents, you may see Π and Δ. The first stands for plaintiff and the second stands for defendant. In case any of you is going to start as an internship, now you know!