Using one's translations as legal evidences
Thread poster: Omri Radai (X)
Omri Radai (X)
Omri Radai (X)
Israel
Local time: 12:19
English to Hebrew
+ ...
Mar 13, 2018

Hi everyone!

Would you mind helping out a new translator with answering a weird question...?

In case you are given a transcription of a recording to translate that seems to be part of an investigation, what would you do?
I came across this one transcription that someone wants to translate, and while reviewing it before applying for the job, the next questions arose:
To what extent the translator and their translation are involved in the investigation?
... See more
Hi everyone!

Would you mind helping out a new translator with answering a weird question...?

In case you are given a transcription of a recording to translate that seems to be part of an investigation, what would you do?
I came across this one transcription that someone wants to translate, and while reviewing it before applying for the job, the next questions arose:
To what extent the translator and their translation are involved in the investigation?
Do most jobs of that type require any form of quality guarantee for the translation? And who is allowed to issue those?
Are the clients allowed to use your details in case of using the translation as a legal evidence?

Anything else I might be missing here?

I hope I've posted this question in the right place, as I didn't find any category that was a better fit.
I'm also curious whether this is really exceptional, or just seems weird to me as I'm new to the translating business.

Thank you all.
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sailingshoes
sailingshoes
Local time: 11:19
Spanish to English
It depends Mar 13, 2018

If you're working through an agency I'd expect the agency to work out that side of things, but it would be safer to ask. A translator's work cannot be taken to be the work of a lawyer: translations of briefs may be used for information, but a translator's work should not be filed as a brief, for example.

If you're working for a direct client, I'd ask about this aspect and maybe ask to sign a waiver of liability of some sort. ("While every possible effort has been made to...., the tr
... See more
If you're working through an agency I'd expect the agency to work out that side of things, but it would be safer to ask. A translator's work cannot be taken to be the work of a lawyer: translations of briefs may be used for information, but a translator's work should not be filed as a brief, for example.

If you're working for a direct client, I'd ask about this aspect and maybe ask to sign a waiver of liability of some sort. ("While every possible effort has been made to...., the translator cannot warrant for...").

On the other hand if your worries are ethical in nature, that's up to you.
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Jean Lachaud
Jean Lachaud  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:19
English to French
+ ...
That is a question for a lawyer Mar 13, 2018

You are asking legal questions. Ask a lawyer. Or the customer.

 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 06:19
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Sworn or certified translator Mar 13, 2018

What you are asking about is usually the job of a court-sworn or certified translator. One knows if one is one, hence if you are a court-sworn or certified translator you would not normally be asking the question.

 
Jean Lachaud
Jean Lachaud  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:19
English to French
+ ...
Depends on the country Mar 13, 2018

The original poster does not know if the document will be used for legal purposes, so one cannot assume anything.


John Fossey wrote:

What you are asking about is usually the job of a court-sworn or certified translator. One knows if one is one, hence if you are a court-sworn or certified translator you would not normally be asking the question.


 
Liviu-Lee Roth
Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 06:19
Romanian to English
+ ...
my 2 c Mar 13, 2018

I did translate communication from inmates to the outside world, and my translations, corroborated with other evidence, were used as legal evidence. The only problem that may arise is when the defense attorneys challenge the quality of your translation and in this situation, the prosecution might require you to testify. Never happened to me.

 


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Using one's translations as legal evidences







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