Abstract. FrameNet frames have been used to develop lexical databases and annotated corpora for different languages. This paper analyses the use of FrameNet frames to build a legal ontology for the Brazilian Law. In order to discuss the problems of such approach to ontology development, the lexical units evoking the Criminal_process frame were contrasted in English and Portuguese. Frame divergence between languages has consequences not only for legal ontology development but also for the development of legal lexical resources, such as lexical databases and corpora annotation. 1.