tomarse la justicia por su mano
take the law into your own hands
The Spanish phrase 'tomarse la justicia por su mano' translates to 'to take the law into one's own hands' in English. This idiom is used when someone tries to get justice or regulate an issue themselves, instead of seeking help from the official authorities or systems which are meant for that purpose. Making decisions for justice by oneself, without depending on the law, can often involve illegal activities and not recommended. The phrase reflects the frustration or desperation where the person doesn't trust the system adequately to deliver justice.
Example sentences using: tomarse la justicia por su mano
Ella decidió tomarse la justicia por su mano después de que la policía no hizo nada.
She decided to take the law into her own hands after the police did nothing.
This phrase is used when someone decides to deliver justice by themselves, usually when they feel the legal system or those who are supposed to enforce the law aren't doing their job.
En ese país, la gente a menudo tiene que tomarse la justicia por su mano porque el sistema judicial es corrupto.
In that country, people often have to take the law into their own hands because the judicial system is corrupt.
Just like the first example, this phrase implies a situation where the official mechanism of justice is flawed. As a result, people resort to self-administered justice, usually as a last resort.
No apoyo que te tomes la justicia por tu mano, pero entiendo por qué lo hiciste.
I don't support you taking the law into your own hands, but I understand why you did it.
This Spanish phrase summarizes the dilemma where someone may not agree with the act of someone else dispensing personal justice, yet they understand why the person felt compelled to act due to the perceived inadequacy of official legal channels.