Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

This is a continuation of my series on Spanish legal language. The series will conclude with the next article

Life in prison – cadena perpetua
Probate – Sucesorio
Property – Propiedad
Prosecutor – Fiscal/procurador
Residency – Residencia
Restraining order – Orden de alejamiento
Retainer – Pago anticipado de honorarios
Ruling- Fallo
Sentence – Condena, pena or sentencia
Stockholder/shareholder – Accionista
Signature – Firma
Squatter – precarist
Suit – Demanda/ Querella
Summons – Citación
Suspect – imputado, sospechoso
Take the case (lawyer) – Llevar el caso
Take to trial – Llevar a juicio
Tax evasion- evasión fiscal
Testify – Declarar or testificar
Testify against – Testificar/declarar contra
Testify for – Tesitificar/declarar a favor de…
The right to enjoy a thing owned by another person – Usofructo (Like living in their home)
To appear in court – Comparecer
To dismiss a case – Desestimar
To record in the nation al registry – Protocolizar
To rule against – Fallar en contra de
To rule in a case – Fallar
To rule in favor of – Fallar a favor de
To rule against – Fallar en contra de
Trial – Juicio
Tribunal – made up of three judges
Trust – Fidecomiso
Trustee – Fidecomisario
Try – Juzgar/enjuiciar
Verdict – Fallo
Will – Testamento
Win a case – Ganar un caso
Witness – Testigo

Tiquismos of the week:

El que nace para burro del cielo le caen las orejas: If destined to be a burro, heaven will send you ears
El que nace para maceta del corredor no pasa: If destined for flower pot, from the corridor won´t be budged
El que nace para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas: if destined to be a corn cake (tamal), heaven will send you the wrappers