Thread: due legal process

I was discussing with a friend the correct translation of the phrase "due legal process". We could not decide on the placement of the adjective. I think it should be debido proceso legal, but we wondered if it would be better to say proceso legal debido. Or does it matter?

Originally Posted by bedfords

I was discussing with a friend the correct translation of the phrase "due legal process". We could not decide on the placement of the adjective. I think it should be debido proceso legal, but we wondered if it would be better to say proceso legal debido. Or does it matter?

Second option, proceso legal debido, sounds better to me. Generally he adjetive goes after the noun, except when for whatever reason you want to emphasise the adjetive in the sentence. Without context, I can't be 100% sure, but I'd go with number 2.

HTH

I think in these cases the best option is to check the name of the equivalent concept in Spanish-speaking countries. In Argentina, the accurate phrase is "debido proceso", as you may see here: www.scba.gov.ar/BoletinSCBA/Penal/69196.htm.

Popette is right in the use of adjectives in Spanish. However, there are certain issues, such as legal terminology, which do not conform to general grammar standards. In those cases, my advice is: find a similar term and adapt it to the legal concept you want to translate.

Hope you find it useful!
Guadalupe

I agree that due process or debido proceso is a well established legal (usually constitutional) term in the United States and in many Hispanic countries but I do see a slight difference between debido proceso and debido proceso legal.

The first first is simply translated as due process while the second is more formal and usually translated as due process of law (Translations from the Merl Bilingual Law Dictionary or Diccionario Jurídico Bilingüe). Perhaps I'm nitpicking but formal usage of legal terms is often preferred.

Joel