Guide · Certified translations
Which translations do I need for a German court?
Has a court or your lawyer requested a translation? Supply the actual instructions so the document set, scope and certification fit that procedural step.
Reviewed on 27 October 2026
The short answer
Written document translation and spoken interpreting at a hearing are different tasks. Section 142(3) ZPO describes a possible court direction and certified translation by an appropriately authorised person in civil proceedings. Your actual assignment follows the instructions for your procedure.
Read the court direction or request first
Record the court, case reference, language and deadline. Which documents are expressly named? Ask the requesting body or your lawyer to clarify an unclear scope. Not every foreign-language record needs translating in advance for every procedural step.
Match the requested records to their correct versions. A judgment, later correction and further annotation contain different information. Supply any earlier translations for context without altering their certified versions yourself.
Keep the commissioned document set traceable
Use filenames that correspond to the request and preserve attachment order. Identify main records and supplementary files on a separate list. Do not remove seals, marginal notes or other inscriptions from the source.
If only an extract is required, its selection must fit the instructions. Discuss partial translation first rather than independently omitting confidential or apparently irrelevant sections. Clarify whether paper or an electronic file is needed as well.
Plan deadlines and spoken interpreting separately
Give us the actual submission date and obtain confirmation that it can be met. Sending a translation enquiry does not extend a court deadline. Speak to your lawyer or the responsible body if timing becomes a problem.
If an interpreter is also needed for a hearing or meeting, clarify appointment arrangements, qualifications and date separately. Document translation includes neither that attendance nor a legal opinion on your prospects in the proceedings.
Your next steps
Collect the request and affected documents.
Identify the court, language, scope and submission date.
Clarify missing attachments and format before work starts.
Arrange any spoken interpreting separately.
More questions
Does translation for a court include legal advice?
No. Translation represents the agreed contents. It does not provide a legal assessment.
Does section 142 ZPO cover every kind of proceeding?
That provision concerns civil proceedings. The actual procedural instructions matter for your assignment.
Can I send only the pages I consider decisive?
Agree the selection and context first. Missing or differently requested material may lead to an unsuitable submission.
Sources and further reading
The receiving organisation’s current instructions matter for your assignment. Send them to us with your documents.
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