Edward Plaisance Jr May 10, 2012:

comment... It is now also clear that the correct word is "absentee"...the people who were not present were not being tried, so "in absentia" is not appropriate here. They were simply "absent".

As noted, "apologies" would never be used in this context...it is used for social functions and sometimes for business meetings.

Mohammad Ali Moinfar (X) May 10, 2012:

Dear Mr. Sakhizadeh: Many thanks indeed for the rich context. It is abundantly clear that the report in question is replete with courtroom phrases.

hossein sakhizadeh (asker) May 10, 2012:

sorry I forgot to mention, it is a report for a court session

hossein sakhizadeh (asker) May 10, 2012:

more context:
حاضرین و غائبین جلسه دادگاه مورخ ... عبارت بودند از


حاضرین:

خوانده
وکیل خوانده
خواهان
وکیل خواهان
خبرنگاران نشریه های ... و ...
....

غائبین:

نماینده شهرداری
بازپرس دوم پرونده
شاهد ردیف 4

همچنین خبرنگار نشریه ... به علت بر هم زدن نظم دادگاه از جلسه اخراج شد.

در ابتدا قاضی محترم دادگاه به تشریح روند رسیدگی به این پرونده پرداخت و سپس نماینده شهرداری برای ارائه دفاعیات فراخوانده شد.

جلسه بعدی دادگاه در مورخ ... تشکیل خواهد شد

Mohammad Ali Moinfar (X) May 10, 2012:

Dear Mr. Ramezani and other valued colleagues: Thanks for yr explanation.
I agree with the second part of yr argument (for instance, it can be used for an occasion when several directors cannot attend a Board meeting), but not with the first part, because Court minutes ARE legal texts.
As to "I don't believe when we say apologies, those whose names are included have apologized and have not attended", please see No. 3 at: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.... (Used to express formally one's regret at being unable to attend a meeting or social function). Of course, we may, by way of extension, use apologies for such people.
I totally agree that background information or a far larger context is required to come to a sound conclusion.
Again Thank you for your time and participation.
Regards,
Omid

Ali Ramezani May 10, 2012:

thanks for your comments

I think this is a court minute and not a specialized legal text. the context is law(general) and the document can be a simple.

I don't believe when we say apologies, those whose names are included have apologized and have not attended as suggested by one of the colleagues.

What is your equivalent for apologies in Farsi? we don't use عذرخواهان and either we should use a descriptive translation for the term or use غائبین.... of course my suggestion is .غائبین I think it is good the asker provides more context here.

Mohammad Ali Moinfar (X) May 9, 2012:

With all due respect to my colleagues: Somehow like Hossein, I feel that this word all alone cannot be a good choice for GhAebin. Too, if you look into the mentions of "apologies" on the Net, you see that when a person informs a board or something of his or her absence in the coming meeting, he or she will be placed on the Apologies (List). One might argue that if غائبین جلسه دادگاه have not sent their apologies, then your answer cannot stand valid.
Please See:
http://committees.curtin.edu.au/members/docs/Prot_for_record...