Are Certified Translations Admissible in Court?

When legal cases involve parties who speak different languages, accurate court document translation becomes essential.

Whether it’s a contract, court order, or evidence submitted in a foreign language, courts require translations that are precise, reliable, and often certified. However, not all translations are treated equally in the eyes of the law.

This article explains what court document translations are, when certified translations are required, and whether AI-generated translations are admissible in legal proceedings.

What Are Court Document Translations?

Court documents translations are the process of converting legal documents from one language into another for use in legal proceedings.

These translations must preserve the original document’s meaning, terminology, and legal intent with precision, as any misinterpretation can have serious consequences in court.

These translations are often required when one or more parties involved in a legal case don’t speak the language in which the original documents were written, or when legal documents must be submitted to a court in a jurisdiction with a different official language.

Are Certified Translations Allowed in Court?

Certified translations are not only admissible in court; they’re often required. When legal documents written in a foreign language are submitted as evidence or part of a court proceeding, courts generally require an officially certified translation to ensure that the document is accurate, reliable, and legally valid.

Certified translations help judges, attorneys, and litigants understand a document's content without ambiguity.

This certification provides a formal declaration by the translator (or translation agency) that the translation is a true and complete representation of the original document.

Are AI-Translated Documents Admissible in Court?

In most legal systems, AI-translated documents on their own aren’t admissible in court as certified translations.

While AI tools can provide fast and accurate translations, they don’t meet the legal standards required for certified or official court use.

This is because courts require a high degree of accuracy, context, sensitivity, and legal compliance in translated documents. AI tools aren’t yet authorized to guarantee these standards independently.

Additionally, legal language is full of nuance, technical terminology, and contextual meaning that even the most sophisticated AI can misinterpret. For example:

• A mistranslated clause in a contract could change liability or intent.
• An inaccurate date or name in a translated certificate could invalidate filing.
• Subtle errors in witness testimony or affidavits might cast doubt on credibility.

Even if these mistakes are minor, they can lead to delays, rejections, or negative legal outcomes.

However, AI translations can still play a valuable supporting role in the legal process, especially in assisting with the general understanding of legal documents.

How to Translate Court Documents for General Understanding

While certified translations must still go through a qualified translator, Smallpdf’s Translate PDF tool can be valuable in allowing you to translate digital documents to understand their content. Here are some simple steps to use our tool:

1. Navigate to Translate PDF and upload the document you want to translate. You can do this by dragging and dropping the PDF into the upload area or clicking “Choose Files” to select a file from your device.

2. Wait a few seconds for the AI to analyze your file. Next, click “Entire document” in the right-hand side menu. Then, select “Translate”.

3. The next screen will load, and you can then choose the language you want your PDF translated to using the drop-down menu at the top of the tool. Your translation will now be ready.

Translate Legal Documents for General Understanding with Ease

If you need to translate a legal document quickly, try Smallpdf’s Translate PDF tool for instant, high-quality draft translation.