Language/Romanian/Vocabulary/Legal-Terminology-and-Justice-System

Romanian → Vocabulary → Legal Terminology and Justice System

As a Romanian language teacher with twenty years of experience, I am excited to share my knowledge of legal terminology and the justice system in Romania. In this lesson, you will learn vocabulary related to the legal field, the Romanian justice system, and how legal proceedings work in Romania. This lesson is a continuation of the Advanced Romanian Vocabulary section of the course and is intended for students who have already mastered intermediate grammar and vocabulary.

Legal Terminology

Legal terminology is a specialized vocabulary used by lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals. Here are some essential Romanian legal terms:

Romanian	Pronunciation	English
Avocat	[a.vo'kat]	Lawyer
Judecător	[ʒu.de'kat̪or]	Judge
Învinuit	[ɨm.vi.'nuit̪]	Suspect
Acuzat	[a.ku'zat̪]	Defendant
Martor	[mar.'tor]	Witness
Sentință	[sen.'tin.tsə]	Sentence
Condamnă	[kon.dam'nə]	Conviction

Some example sentences:

• Avocatul meu negociază cu autoritățile legale.

 * Translation: My lawyer is negotiating with the legal authorities.

• Judecătorii au ajuns la o sentință în acest caz.

 * Translation: The judges have reached a sentence in this case.

• Martorii credibili sunt esențiali în orice caz.

 * Translation: Credible witnesses are essential in any case.

The Romanian Justice System

The Romanian justice system is based on a civil law system, which means that it is primarily based on codified laws and statutes. The main institutions of the Romanian justice system are the courts, the prosecution offices, and the police.

Romanian courts are divided into two main categories: civil courts and criminal courts. Civil courts handle disputes between individuals, while criminal courts deal with cases in which a crime has been committed. Within these categories, there are further subdivisions, such as administrative courts and family courts.

The role of the prosecution office is to investigate crimes and bring cases to court. The police are responsible for enforcing the law and maintaining public order.

Legal Proceedings

Legal proceedings in Romania generally follow a standard process. Here are the basic steps:

1. Investigation: The prosecution office investigates the case.
2. Pre-trial proceedings: The prosecutor decides whether to press charges and prepares the case for trial.
3. Trial: The case is presented in court, and evidence is presented by both the prosecution and the defense. The judge or jury then makes a decision based on the evidence presented.
4. Sentencing: If the defendant is found guilty, a sentence is imposed. If the defendant is found not guilty, the case is closed.

It is important to note that there are variations and exceptions to this process, depending on the specifics of each case.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned important legal terminology used in Romania and discussed the basic framework of the Romanian justice system. Understanding these concepts is essential to communicating effectively about legal matters in Romanian. As always, practice is key to mastering these new concepts!

Sources

• Law of Romania
• Judiciary of Romania

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