Not every legal document has to be translated by a court-certified translator. Likewise, documents in areas other than law do not necessarily have to be translated by non-certified translators. Many people wonder whether they need a certified translation or a non-certified one. They contact us puzzled over the difference between the two. They wonder why one is more expensive than the other. They also ask which languages we cover. In order to determine whether you need a court-certified translation or a non-certified one you must consider the purpose of the translation. Are you taking the translation to a court? Are you using the translations for any other purpose? In general, individuals who wish to submit a foreign-language document to courts must have a court-certified translator execute the translation of the document.

Translators who have the proper qualifications and experience translating documents for legal purposes are familiar with the standard procedure. They translate the document and review their work before submitting it to the client. They also prepare a certification and attach it to the translation. They understand that courts require translation of foreign-language documents to be accompanied by the translator’s declaration. California Center for Translation & Interpretation wants its clients to know that the quality of its certified translation services is unmatched. We rely on legal translators with extensive experience to translate your documents from foreign languages into English. We focus on providing top-quality translations and customer support. Our court-certified translators are available to translate the documents that you are planning to use in courts. We will attach a copy of the original documents to their translations along with the court-certified or registered translator’s certification so that your translations meet the standards of courts. As mentioned above, your translations must be court-certified only if you are going to use the translated documents in a court.

If you still have questions about getting your documents translated or you are not sure whether you need a court-certified translation, please speak with a customer service specialist. Please let us know if you would like to have multiple copies of the certified translation. We can prepare additional copies of certified translations upon request. You can keep one for your own records, if you would like. We might ask you a few questions to help us determine whether you need certified translations for courts. You can email us to get a quick quote. We can translate documents from Farsi, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Polish, Arabic, Romanian, etc into English.

American companies that are ready to start working with a foreign entity should include a forum jurisdiction clause in their contract. In cases of disputes they can always seek legal remedy in a court. If they have chosen to take their issues to a court in the United States they should make sure that the agreement is in the English language. The original document should be submitted to a translator who is capable of executing court-certified translations. Certified translations for courts are necessary for parties who are planning to take advantage of the legal system to settle a dispute. Foreigners and Americans who wish to work with non-English speaking parties should keep in mind that they need to present their documents in English if they choose to take a case to a local court.

Conducting business with a supplier or partner from a foreign country can be a strategic move. As long as things go smoothly, both sides can benefit from the relationship. However, disagreements and disputes can happen in professional relationships and sometimes the two sides cannot reconcile their differences especially if they are dealing with language barriers. In such cases they may seek justice through the legal system. Those who have worked with an experienced lawyer or have used a legal template usually have included a forum selection clause in their agreement. Those who have never conducted international business might not know that they must translate the document that they draft and present to the non-English speaking party. While they prepare to present their case in an American court they will learn that their documents must be in English. Therefore, it might be a great idea to translate the documents as soon as the final version is ready. In the state of California courts ask parties to attach their foreign language documents to their translations and the translator’s certification.

Businesses in the United States that believe they can benefit from collaborating with firms in foreign countries should consider how they will handle disputes that arise while they are engaged in a relationship. By writing a good contract and inserting a forum selection clause they can prevent problems. Should they decide to resolve an issue in an American court they should come prepared with the proper documents. This includes the court-certified translation of foreign-language documents along with supplementary documents in English. In the United States courts only take court-certified translations such that translated documents without the proper declaration will be rejected. CACFTI prepares certified translations for courts upon request. For more information about how you can have a contracted translated by a court-certified translator, please contact us.