sumarios

Sumarios is the plural form of sumario, a term used in Spanish and Portuguese with several related meanings. In everyday language, a sumario is a concise account that captures the main points of a longer text, report, presentation, or conversation. It may function as a brief digest, abstract, or table of contents, and is common in journalism, academia, and business.

In legal contexts, sumario has a more specific sense in many civil-law jurisdictions. It can denote a preliminary or simplified proceeding or the case file created during an investigation. The exact model varies by country. For example, in some systems the term refers to the investigation phase of a criminal case, during which evidence is gathered and orders are issued; an opening order called an auto de sumario may mark the start of this phase, and the documents, witness statements, and expert reports compiled in the sumario file guide later stages of the case. In civil matters, a proceso sumario or sumario procedure offers a faster route to resolution for straightforward disputes, with streamlined rules and limited pleadings and evidence.

Outside law, sumarios also appear as the plural of summary sections in books and reports, or as the plural of abstracts in conference proceedings and periodicals.

Etymology: sumario derives from Latin summarium, meaning a concise or condensed thing. The term is widely used in Spanish and Portuguese, and its legal sense is particularly prominent in civil-law traditions.