inquisitorial system

[ɪnˌkwɪzɪˈtɔːriəl ˈsɪstəm]
nounpl: inquisitorial systems
sistema inquisitório
1. A legal system in which the judge or magistrate takes an active role in investigating the facts of a case, questioning witnesses and gathering evidence, rather than remaining neutral while opposing parties present their cases
The inquisitorial system is used in many continental European countries and is based on the principle that the judge must actively seek the truth.
O sistema inquisitório é utilizado em muitos países europeus continentais e se baseia no princípio de que o juiz deve ativamente buscar a verdade.
2. A judicial procedure where the court initiates the investigation into criminal charges rather than relying solely on evidence presented by prosecution and defense
Under the inquisitorial system, the judge plays a more investigative role compared to the adversarial system used in common law countries.
Sob o sistema inquisitório, o juiz desempenha um papel mais investigativo comparado ao sistema adversarial usado em países de common law.
The inquisitorial system is fundamental to understanding civil law countries, including Brazil's legal framework which combines elements of both inquisitorial and adversarial systems. In Brazil, the term is frequently discussed in legal education and reform debates. This contrasts with the adversarial system prevalent in the United States and other common law countries, where the judge acts as a neutral arbiter while the opposing parties present evidence.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
civil law systeminvestigative systemcontinental systemjudge-led system
Antonyms / Antônimos
adversarial systemcommon law systemaccusatorial system

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
sistema inquisitório
Standard term used in legal and academic contexts
Brazil - Legal Context
sistema de investigação judicial
Alternative description emphasizing the investigative role of the judge
Portugal
sistema inquisitório
Commonly used in Portuguese legal discourse; Portugal uses a mixed system
General English
sistema inquisitório
Direct translation used in academic and legal translations

Related Words

judgeinvestigationcriminal procedurecontinental lawdue processwitness examination

Related Idioms & Phrases

seek the truth actively
judge-led investigation
continental legal system
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →