Checklist What to Watch for in a Legal Brief Translation

Checklist What to Watch for in a Legal Brief Translation
legal brief translation

Each member of a family has a trait or habit they share with the rest of the household. Maybe it is drinking a glass of water at four in the evening or scratching their head whenever they are nervous. It is the thing that the family laughs about sometimes but none of them can give it up. It is either a part of their genetic makeup or it becomes a habit that is impossible to break off. In many families, the shared habits are more than one. When you spend a lot of your time surrounded by the same people, you are bound to pick up the things they do regularly and influence them in return.

However, despite sharing similarities, people also have habits and traits that make them completely different from everyone at their home. We know that everyone has their unique personality but some of our traits are the complete opposite of the things that are common in our family. These different traits make us who we are and help develop respect and acceptance among families. Because at the end of the day, we are related to our siblings and parents in a way that can never change.

There are many fields in the world that share many similarities across borders but at the same time also have unique features that make them different from each other. Each country has its own laws but the ones that have to do with basic human rights are the same everywhere. There are also a lot of other similarities between laws of different countries. The basic terminology is almost the same in all states. Other terms are also common everywhere in the world. Sometimes, however, there are a few terms that are in use everywhere but their meanings are different from each other. Such terms can cause confusion for those who are not familiar with legal terminology. The internet is also of no help when you look up such terms because one meaning is given preference over the other and those who don’t do a detailed search might end up with the wrong option.

legal brief translation

What is a Legal Brief?

legal brief translation

A legal brief is one of those terms with different meanings in different countries. In the UK, and other commonwealth countries, a legal brief is a document that is full of facts about a case. These papers are given to the barristers in the UK before they are instructed. But this is not the only meaning of a legal brief.

In the countries where adversarial systems are in place, a legal brief is presented to the court to convince them that only one party should prevail. The brief includes information about the case and counter arguments for the issues other litigator might rise. The purpose of the brief is to convince the court to end the case before it can even begin. It is often called a legal argument. Writing a successful brief is not an easy task and that’s why law students spend month learning about it.

Checklist: What to Watch for in a Legal Brief Translation?

One of the fields where translation is used the most is the legal system. Courts require translations of briefs, testimonies, and evidentiary files frequently. But translating these documents is as difficult as drafting them. However, if people decide to trust experts instead of trying to handle it themselves, they can avoid problems.

Here is a list of things you need to watch for when you are getting your legal brief translation:

  1. The Right Terms:

As pointed earlier, all the legal terms might not mean the same thing in every country. The translator must be aware of that. Your document cannot have any words that are confusing. It should be tailored to the legal trends of the country where the brief will be presented.

  1. Case Examples:

If someone wrote a brief in Germany and included past decisions of a court to make their point, the document won’t be valid in another country. If the brief is only for research purposes then it can work but if it will be presented in a court in America where the past decisions of German courts don’t hold any value, it won’t make much sense.

  1. Research:

If the document has to be presented in a court in a foreign country, then it should include all the relevant terms. Research should be carried out about local laws so that useful information can be included in the brief. Without the facts that are applicable in that country, the brief is useless. That’s why research is very important, even for translators.

  1. The Flow:

Since a brief is a written argument, it should have the same flow as other legal dialogue. The essence of a document can get lost in translation if the translator is not careful. It is important in the case of a legal document to keep the flow going, even if it is in a different language. The interpreter must know this requirement and translate your papers accordingly.

  1. The Tone:

The tone of the legal documents is also different from that of other records. Make sure your translator follows the tone of the original document, insert questions where necessary, and make statements appear in positions where they will take center stage.

A legal brief may be a complicated document but its translation can be even more difficult, unless you find the right translator for the task.

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