Translating a dispute resolution is much trickier than it sounds. Behind every word are issues of admissibility, mutual understanding and legal conformity. Are you a lawyer, in-house counsel or adviser in a multi-jurisdictional case? Here's what you need to know to ensure the quality and validity of such translations.
Dispute resolution, a legal act to be translated accurately
Dispute resolution refers to all the procedures by which a dispute is resolved between two or more parties: arbitration, court ruling, mediation, settlement, etc. These documents may take the form of :
- a judgment or arbitration award,
- an amicable resolution agreement,
- or a summons in a contentious process.
In cross-border cases, translation is essential. It enables all parties - courts, lawyers, tax authorities, contractual partners - to understand the exact terms of the decision or commitment.
Why specialized translation is essential
Dispute resolution texts are highly technical. They contain :
- references to national or international laws,
- terms specific to civil or arbitration proceedings,
- precise legal formulations, sometimes untranslatable literally.
A mistranslated word can alter the legal scope of an act. For example, confusing "injunction" with "injury claim" can have disastrous consequences for your client's litigation strategy.
Terminology requirements for dispute resolution
Each area of law (commercial, tax, labor, etc.) has its own subtleties. Translating a document relating to the resolution of a dispute involves :
- faithfully reproduce the original legal terminology,
- adopt recognized equivalents in the target language,
- respect the argumentative structure and legal logic of the document.
In some cases, it is even necessary to specify concepts in square brackets or notes to avoid misinterpretation by the opposing party or the judge.
Case in point: a translated summons for a tax dispute in Spain
A Parisian law firm recently asked us to translate into French a dispute resolution issued by the Spanish tax authorities, in the context of a double taxation dispute. The document, drafted in Spanish, was to be presented before the Conseil d'Etat in France.
Our mission: to guarantee an accurate rendering of the legal grounds invoked, the amounts claimed, and the deadlines for recourse. Thanks to our dual expertise - linguistic and fiscal - the translation was validated unreservedly by the French legal advisors, ensuring that the appeal could proceed within the allotted timeframe.
Call on legal professionals for sensitive translations
As you know, when it comes to legal matters, precision is everything. This also applies to the translation of dispute resolution documents. Whether it's a writ of summons, an arbitration award or a settlement agreement, a poor translation can jeopardize your efforts.
👉 Entrust your documents to a team of legal translation experts. At Legal 230, we work exclusively with specialized legal translators, to guarantee reliability, rigor and compliance at every stage.