What is Legal Translation Services?

by Target Language Translation Services

- July 5, 2021

Legal translation is a system of rules. To regulate conduct through social or governmental institutions is the purpose of law. It utilizes content and terms within the legal system prevailing in the country where the source document originated.

At some point in your life, whether it is a personal need or one of a professional nature, it is conceivable you will need to have legal documents translated. This can be anything from a simple overseas traffic ticket to something more complicated such as a divorce packet when filing for dual citizenship or to revoke it. When actions require the involvement of two countries with various languages, any documents that must travel between them both in order to be acted upon must be translated, and in the vast majority of cases, must be certified copies. Presuming this, the process of how to translate legal documents so there’s no confusion in communication is actually a simple process.

Among the different documents that can be translated related to law, are the following: Contracts, Court and witness transcripts, Depositions, Confidentiality agreements, Wills and trusts, Complaints, Policies, Legal Statements, Licenses, Litigation documentation, Arbitration translation, Legal disclaimers and others .

The importance of legal language

Whether written or spoken, all legal processes revolve around words. As a result, getting your point across clearly, and in detail, is significant to make sure there is no ambiguity or confusion over the terms of a contract or court case. However, with so much detail to pack into each document, they can become hard enough to understand in one language, dense with so-called legalese.

As a result, translating all of this information, including terms which are unique to the legal profession, needs to be done in a way which can be easily comprehended by international legal organizations. The most effective way to do this is to enlist the help of a specialized legal linguist who understands the language of the law as well as the language of the land.

When hiring a linguist or translation agency for a legal translation procedure, it is extremely significant to be able to depend on a reliable outcome. If the translation isn’t precise enough it can have legal consequences. Inaccurate information can generate a big misunderstanding. An improperly translated document can directly affect people’s rights. For this reason, it is always recommended to work with linguists that translate in their native language. So it is fundamental that law firms can be sure that the result is precise and true to the original. The translation team must be familiar with the business and legal practices of the country.

How to translate legal documents?

Though documents can be translated by a friend or relative, or notarized by someone with a notary seal, it is generally accepted that any legal documents must be certified in order to be accepted as true and unquestionable. This means that birth certificates from an issuing hospital or a social security card need to be translated by someone, either an individual or an agency, that is certified in precisely translating documents from the particular original language to the second or even third language.

At first, to be sure that you’re getting the best legal translation services, you should always make sure that your agency is ISO-certified. As for the linguists, you should enquire about their legal credentials, and ask your translation agency to guarantee that they assign you a linguist with the specific experience and knowledge you need for your documentation.

Then collect all of the materials needed for translation. Gather them in one package for a simple transfer to the linguist. Attach any special requirements, such as duplicate copies, stamped certifications, or special notices that should be adhered to while the translation is taking place. Determine what the time frame is on your needs, as many services will turn your work over in twenty four hours for a slight fee is required. If for example a last minute translation on a marriage certificate is required, this can be accomplished. Just rest assured and trust your chosen professional.

Once the job has been placed, allow the service the time required to complete your package. You can utilize this time to review the other requirements of the agency you are having the legal documents translated for in order to have everything ready when you submit them. You may also wish to keep handy a copy of the original documents to check against in case of missed communications or other unforeseen events. This protects you, as well as your project.

Once the documents are completed, you can move forward with your process and comfortably instruct others in the ways of how to translate legal documents should they have the same requirements some day.

Who can do it?

If you understand what to look for you will be able to make an adequate decision that ultimately satisfies your requirements. If you are uncertain, then please research this topic and get in touch with professionals who can explain better and give you understanding of the processes and requirements.

Legal translations are not easy to undertake and linguists play a crucial role in them. You might ask why? Because law in its entirety affects every area of our lives, from signing a contract with a new employer to accepting terms and conditions of a company, translated legal documents define what an individual, government or a company can or cannot do. The translation has to reflect the message of the original accurately and idiomatically. The same tone and level of language has to be sustained. A legal translation should be free of grammatical errors. When it comes to international treaties, ambiguity can represent a diplomatic tactic. In literary translation, ambiguity is not necessarily viewed as a defect. In order to produce a quality legal translation, linguists must avoid “interpreting” ambiguities.

Every time we put our signature on any piece of paperwork we are legally bound to it.

It is imperative that a professional linguist with the required skills is translating our documentation. Otherwise we just might end in a troublesome situation to say the least.

At Target Language Translation Services, the skills a legal linguist should possess include diligence, qualification in legal matters, profound translating experience of the legal field and legal translation itself, proper knowledge of the source language as well as the target language.

In order to provide precise translations linguists should work hand in hand with professionals such as lawyers, notaries, etc. Linguists should always stay informed of the most current legal requirements. Those are the key components for accurate legal translation that will serve its purpose. By having those you are most certainly on your way to success.

If you’re looking to translate legal documents, get in touch with the team at Target Language Translation Services today.

This article is reprinted from Stillman, CreditEval and Smart Localization.

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