Juez de primera instancia

Question

Our dictionary says:

Juzgado de primera instancia = court of first instance.

Court of first instance?

This show used "Juez de primera instancia" to mean "coroner".

Is that right?

Gracias.

Answer 1

Trial court judge.

Is there a first circuit judge or something like that?

EDIT:

I forgot to reply about the "coroner" part.

That's wrong. Coroner = Médico forense.

Yep! Well-kind of-you go before the trial judge first, then if you want to appeal your case you would go before an appellate court judge...correct me if I'm wrong guys :) - kiersten11, Dec 31, 2011

That's the way I understand it, too. - Gekkosan, Dec 31, 2011

Answer 2

It is a Court of First Instance or an Examining Magistrate. It is definitely not a Coroner - Médico or Investigador Forense.

---

I also found "inferior court", simply "magistrate", or "famiy court magistrate".

I just edited my post about the forensic doctor... :) - chileno, Jan 1, 2012

Answer 3

The Real Academia Española says that a "juez de primera instancia" or "juez de primera instancia o instrucción" is "juez ordinario de un partido o distrito, que conoce en primera instancia de los asuntos civiles no cometidos por la ley a los jueces municipales* y en materia criminal dirige la instrucción de los de los sumarios*" The second part of the definition may shed a little light on the situation, but it is still a little confusing.

Now then, our great Spanishdict gives coroner as "juez de instrucción" which Real seems to put as a synonym of "primera instancia" Just for the sake of confusing things, Larousse renders it as "an examining magistrate". Clear as mud???

I fear that I have not answered your question, but if any of the references help you can have them for what they are worth. Please accept my vote...

Whoops, My italics didnt show... - Pinolero, Dec 31, 2011

Answer 4

After consideration with a well experienced legal interpreter, I decided to use "médico forense" for a translation that will be used 99% of the time for Puerto Ricans. That is the term used in TV news reports in PR so it should be familiar.

Answer 5

The problem I have lies in that in my New York State county, a coroner and a medical examiner, or forensic examiner, are not one in the same thing. A coroner doesn't even have to be a doctor in some areas, though he is here. A coroner goes to an unattended death, writes up the death certificate and may refer a suspicious death to the medical or forensic examiner but does not necessarily have anything to do with an autopsy or forensic examination. But if I use "juez", etc. I think most of the people who will be reading my translation locally will get the wrong impression, although it may be a correct term of usage in other countries.

Judging by the general discussion, it is an interesting but unresolved question. If I come up with anything plausible, I will post it.

Answer 6

I can see how a coroner could be called the judge of first instance as the coroner rules on whtether a death is natural, accident or murder. Thus if it is murder he/she is the first judge (legal opinion issued) in the process of justice.

Answer 7

Court of First Instance or an Examining Magistrate? My dad is a lawyer and I am around lawyers often, I have never heard these terms in my life. Are they British or something? I can't imagine what a "court of first instance" could be. I assumed it was a ridiculous error in our dictionary.

I cannot be sure about the proper US English term, since I don't muck around legal issues too much, but this would be the first judge to look at a case, usually for minor legal matters. Appeals begin at this point. - Gekkosan, Dec 31, 2011

It's british :D - kiersten11, Dec 31, 2011

So it's a trial court and can be an appellate court. - jeezzle, Dec 31, 2011

No, I think if it's appelate, then it's not "primera instancia" anymore. Primera instancia means precisely that it is the first place you go to have a case tried - Gekkosan, Dec 31, 2011

I agree with Gekkosan. - chileno, Jan 1, 2012