Nov. 21, 2018 – According to a 2015 U.S. Census Bureau report, 73 percent of Hispanic individuals speak a language other than English at home, and 31 percent of Hispanic people state that they are not fluent in English.

State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE® announces the release of the third edition of its national award-winning Spanish-English glossary of legal terms, Critical Terms in Criminal Proceedings in English and in Spanish/ Terminologías Esenciales en el Proceso Criminal en Inglés y en Español.

An essential resource for lawyers and court interpreters, Critical Terms addresses 126 terms commonly used in criminal and traffic proceedings, and provides clear, plain-language descriptions of the criminal process in both Spanish and English.

This edition, the first in a decade, features the work of authors Ronald Benavides and Luis Cuevas. Both work for the State Public Defender’s Office and together have decades of practical legal experience. Cuevas is a native Spanish speaker, and both Cuevas and Benavides are fluent in Spanish.

Plain Language

The book explains terms clearly and consistently, in the clients’ own language. The Spanish descriptions are not a literal translation of the English, allowing the terms to be understood by Spanish speakers in plain language.

The terms related to criminal prosecution and a defendant’s rights throughout the proceedings are arranged chronologically to reflect the order of the criminal process. The book follows the general procedure from issuance of a complaint to verdict, sentencing, and appeal.

New Third Edition

This third edition is even more user-friendly and valuable to professionals and the people they serve. Revised for easier use and to incorporate new legal developments, the new edition includes:

• 36 new terms added throughout the book

• A new section of terms related to immigration

• Updated appendices, including mandatory court forms

• An updated format providing English and Spanish term descriptions consecutively

There are also several useful appendices, including the Wisconsin interpreter request form, the new Court Interpreter Code of Ethics, a list of Wisconsin statutes related to court interpreters, and more.

A Wealth of Information

Designed for everyday use, Critical Terms packs a wealth of useful information into one compact, paperback book, making it a quick, reliable, and convenient resource tool – ideal for easy transport wherever you need it.

The book is a guide, Cuevas says, “whereby defendants could get a whole picture of the criminal process, from beginning to end, in plain language, both in English and in Spanish, and understand what each step or phase entails.”

Benavides adds that “it was very interesting for us, as attorneys, to review the sequence or chronology of criminal procedure – and to determine exactly what the sequences were, since many of them are almost blended, and the standards and objectives that apply to each phase. It was gratifying to contribute to an idea that helps defendants not to be lost or bewildered by a very complex process.”

Community Immigration Law Center attorney Aissa Olivarez, herself a recent award recipient for her outstanding representation of underserved populations, and Milwaukee immigration attorney Davorin Odrcic provided helpful feedback in reviewing this new edition.

How to Order

Critical Terms in Criminal Proceedings in English and in Spanish is available both in print for $29 for members and $39 for nonmembers, and online via Books UnBound®, the State Bar’s interactive online library.

Subscribers to the State Bar’s automatic supplementation service will receive future updates at a discount off the regular price.

For more information or to place an order, visit the WisBar Marketplace or call the State Bar at (800) 728-7788 or (608) 257-3838.