Legal translation

Which Documents Require Legal Translation?

Scriptae Agency translates legal and business documents for a variety of purposes, including:

1. Contracts and agreements. Commercial contracts, property sale and tenancy agreements, employment contracts, cooperation agreements and other documents that establish the rights and obligations of the parties.
2. Laws and regulations. Legislation, subordinate legislation, rules, regulations and other documents governing the activities of organisations and individuals.
3. Court documents. Judgments, court orders, rulings, procedural documents and case materials relating to civil, criminal and other proceedings.
4. Legal opinions and expert materials. Legal opinions, expert reports and other documents used in legal procedures and disputes.
5. Corporate and registration documents. Company incorporation documents, register extracts, resolutions of shareholders and governing bodies, powers of attorney and other documents required for business operations, registration of changes and dealings with public authorities.
6. Documents for immigration and administrative procedures. Certificates, official records, powers of attorney, civil-status documents and other materials that may be required for obtaining residence permits or citizenship, or completing other legally significant procedures abroad.
7. Documents for property transactions. Sale and tenancy agreements, property documents, powers of attorney and related materials required to buy, sell or rent property in another country.

---

What Determines the Quality of a Legal Translation?

Legal documents require a considered approach. Several factors are important when translating them.

• Terminological accuracy. Legal concepts must be rendered consistently and in context. A term that is suitable in one document may not be appropriate in another.
• Awareness of differences between legal systems. The same concepts can have different meanings in different countries. The translator’s task is to convey the meaning of the original accurately without replacing it with the rules of another legal system.
• Completeness and fidelity to the original. All material provisions, conditions, exceptions, references to legislation, dates, numbers and identifying details must be retained. Omissions and unjustified changes may affect how a document is interpreted.
• Consistency of wording. This is particularly important when translating lengthy contracts, sets of corporate documents and materials for international projects, where the same concepts must be expressed consistently.
• Confidentiality. Legal documents often contain personal data, commercial terms and other sensitive information, so they must be handled responsibly.

---

How Is the Legal Translation Process Organised?

The process depends on the type of document and its intended use, but it usually involves several stages.

1. Receiving the document and clarifying requirements. The client provides a scan or photograph of the document and explains which country, institution or procedure the translation is intended for. This helps establish any formatting and certification requirements in advance.
2. Estimating the cost and timescale. After reviewing the document, we agree the price, delivery time and any additional requirements.
3. Translation and checking. The text is translated with due regard to legal terminology, context and the structure of the original. Particular attention is paid to precise wording, identifying details, dates and consistent terminology.
4. Agreeing the format and certification. If the document is intended for official use, it is important to establish in advance whether certification by a court-appointed translator or another form of formalisation is required. Requirements vary depending on the institution and procedure for which the document is being prepared.
5. Delivery of the completed translation. We provide the translation in the agreed format and within the agreed timescale, taking account of any applicable presentation requirements.

---

Legal Translation at Scriptae Agency

Scriptae Agency provides translation services for legal, corporate and other specialised documents for individuals and businesses. We pay particular attention to precise wording, consistent terminology and fidelity to the source document.

Where required, we can arrange for the translation to be certified by a court-appointed translator (*sudski tumač*) in Montenegro. Any additional requirements for a particular procedure should be checked before work begins.

Every document requires careful consideration of its content and the purpose of the translation. We will help you choose the right approach, agree the timescale and cost, and prepare a translation that meets the requirements for its intended use.

To request a translation, send us a scan or photograph of the document. We will review the material and let you know the cost, timescale and any certification requirements.