Official Translations of Spanish Judgments

By Dalila Segador

Head of Official Translations

Official Translators are very often required to do official translations of Spanish Judgments of civil proceedings into English. A Spanish Judgment given by a Judge in Spain may have to be enforced in the UK if the defendant or debtor is living and working in the UK or has assets in the UK.

A Spanish Judgment is a very complex legal document and therefore it is paramount that an official translator produces the translations.

A Spanish Judgment will confirm:

  1. Type of Proceedings, Claimant, Defendant, Court, Lawyers and Procuradores Particulars. The role of the Procurador is very important in the Spanish legal system because the Procurador is the legal representative in Court. However there is no equivalent of the Procurador in the English legal system. An Official Translator will reflect this in the official translation so that the role of the Procurador is understood.
  2. Facts in issue. They are the main facts to be stablished.
  3. Legal grounds. The Legal reasons for decision.
  4. Decision. The Judge’s ruling.

Official translators have to be familiar with the two legal systems involved and master their legal terminology to produce accurate translations. The Spanish and English systems are very different and the official translator will act as an expert in Comparative Law.

An accurate official translation must be submitted so that the Judgment is properly enforced.