Sworn translation of lawsuits and court documents
A sworn translation of a lawsuit — or of a judgment, an order or a letter rogatory — is its official version in another language, signed and stamped by a sworn translator appointed by the MAEC. In proceedings with a foreign party it is compulsory: Article 144 of the Spanish Civil Procedure Act (LEC) requires every document in a non-official language to be accompanied by its translation, and only the sworn version shields the file from challenges. We translate court documents into 39 languages, with deadlines guaranteed in writing and a fixed quote before we start.
Free, no-obligation quote · Last updated: August 2026
- Translators appointed by the MAEC
- Deadlines guaranteed in writing
- Over 400 Google reviews
- Precise procedural terminology
Which court documents we translate
Litigation with a foreign party generates paperwork in two languages from day one. This is the typical file that passes through our hands:
The pleadings that govern the case, with their legal grounds and prayers for relief. Translated in full, respecting the procedural structure of the original.
The rulings to be enforced or recognised in another country — the key piece of exequatur proceedings and of international family cases.
Judicial cooperation between countries: service of documents and taking of evidence abroad, which always travel with their translation.
Contracts, invoices, certificates, emails and expert reports in another language: Article 144 LEC requires them to be filed with a translation.
Procedural deadline looming? We work against the court’s clock
Tell us the deadline when requesting your quote and we turn it into a commitment in writing. For hearings and imminent time limits we activate the urgent service and, if the volume demands it, we split the file between several sworn translators of the same language with unified revision. Your solicitor files on time; that is the job.
A sworn translation and a court interpreter are not the same thing. The sworn translation is written: it turns the claim, the judgment or the evidence into an official document in another language. The court interpreter works orally at the hearing. Many proceedings with a foreign party need both — but only the written record goes into the file, and that is where the sworn version prevents challenges. The structure and jurisdiction of the Spanish courts can be consulted at the General Council of the Judiciary; making your documents understood in both languages is our job.
How we translate your court documents
Coordinated with your lawyer or solicitor, with the procedural deadline as the priority.
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Send the documents
In PDF via the quotation form, by email or on WhatsApp, stating the language, the destination court and — crucially — the deadline.
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Receive your fixed quote
A fixed price per document and a deadline in writing. In proceedings with an imminent time limit we apply the urgent service from the outset.
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Your translation, in la fecha acordada
You receive it as a digitally signed PDF — valid on any electronic filing platform — and, if you need it on paper, by courier or collected in Adeje, Seville or Málaga.
Why a sworn translation and not a standard one? Because the courts, solicitors and foreign tribunals only accept translations bearing the signature, stamp and accreditation number of a sworn translator appointed by the MAEC. An ordinary translation, however accurate, has no official validity: the file is returned and the procedure starts over. Translations into English are signed by our in-house translator, appointed by the MAEC.
Frequently asked questions about translating court documents
How much does it cost to translate a lawsuit or a judgment?
It depends on the volume: a claim with annexed documents runs to more pages than a judgment. The language and the complexity of the document also count, and you will receive a fixed quote per document — with its deadline in writing — before deciding, with no obligation.
Is a sworn translation compulsory in court proceedings?
Article 144 of the Civil Procedure Act (LEC) requires a translation to accompany every document in a foreign language, and in principle admits a private translation — but if the other party challenges it, an official translation will have to be filed, with the cost and delay that entails. That is why lawyers file the sworn version directly: it closes the debate from the first pleading.
Which documents of a court case do you translate?
The entire file: claim and defence, judgments, orders and decrees, letters rogatory, and the documentary evidence — contracts, invoices, certificates, expert reports. If the proceedings concern family or succession, also the civil and notarial certificates that accompany them.
Can you meet an urgent procedural deadline?
Yes: it is our daily bread with court documents. State the deadline when requesting your quote and we confirm it in writing; for imminent time limits we activate the urgent service, with several sworn translators of the same language if the volume demands it.
Does a foreign judgment need an apostille as well as a translation?
For its recognition or enforcement in Spain (exequatur), a judgment is usually filed apostilled and with a sworn translation — unless an EU regulation or a convention exempts it. The correct order: apostille first, translate afterwards. Your lawyer sets the strategy; we deliver the translation that supports it.
In which format will I receive the translation?
In PDF with the sworn translator’s electronic signature — valid for filing through electronic court platforms such as LexNET — and optionally on paper by courier or for collection at our offices in Adeje, Seville and Malaga.