Legal translation requires a very specialized set of skills, as a working knowledge of legal terms and expertise in the target language are both needed. The scope of legal documents varies as well. Anything from birth certificates, litigation materials, depositions, contracts, and evidence documents may need to be translated, and any issues in accuracy or time could have disastrous results, including proceedings delays, higher legal costs, and overall confusion. Therefore, law firms must pay close attention to who they hire for legal translations and litigation support services to ensure they don't suffer any setbacks in their work in the courtroom.
Why Are Legal Translations So Difficult for Translators?
In the court of law, a change in wording (even if it's a single word) can have huge implications on the meaning of the document. Therefore, documents that are translated for a legal case or contract arbitration must be completely accurate. A translator must be fluent in both languages to provide a precise translation. He or she must also have a strong understanding of the legal system in both countries to provide the correct context for a document under both systems. Legal translation often is not a word-for-word translation, which makes finding translator with this unique skillset and experience is crucial.
In addition to quality, time matters too. If the translation of a document takes too long, it may not be admissible in the court of law. Even if it is not labeled as not admissible, a legal document that is not returned in a timely manner may delay the case or business agreement. This could affect deadlines and other important factors. However, as mentioned above, quality cannot be sacrificed to get a document out faster. A translator must not only work quickly, but extremely accurately. Therefore, translating legal documents can be a highly pressurized task, making it only attractive to a select few.
Because legal translations require a special combination of expertise, speed, and composure, law firms and other organizations that deal with legal documents must enlist the services of translation firms that pay close attention to whom they hire. They must inquire about their QMS systems to ensure quality, their hiring criteria for translators, and the average time it takes for a project to be turned around. By paying attention to these details, law firms should be able to find translators that can help them avoid any adverse events in the courtroom.
Why Are Legal Translations So Difficult for Translators?
In the court of law, a change in wording (even if it's a single word) can have huge implications on the meaning of the document. Therefore, documents that are translated for a legal case or contract arbitration must be completely accurate. A translator must be fluent in both languages to provide a precise translation. He or she must also have a strong understanding of the legal system in both countries to provide the correct context for a document under both systems. Legal translation often is not a word-for-word translation, which makes finding translator with this unique skillset and experience is crucial.
In addition to quality, time matters too. If the translation of a document takes too long, it may not be admissible in the court of law. Even if it is not labeled as not admissible, a legal document that is not returned in a timely manner may delay the case or business agreement. This could affect deadlines and other important factors. However, as mentioned above, quality cannot be sacrificed to get a document out faster. A translator must not only work quickly, but extremely accurately. Therefore, translating legal documents can be a highly pressurized task, making it only attractive to a select few.
Because legal translations require a special combination of expertise, speed, and composure, law firms and other organizations that deal with legal documents must enlist the services of translation firms that pay close attention to whom they hire. They must inquire about their QMS systems to ensure quality, their hiring criteria for translators, and the average time it takes for a project to be turned around. By paying attention to these details, law firms should be able to find translators that can help them avoid any adverse events in the courtroom.