Executing a Translation Project

The English language source file for translation should be of high quality; that is, it must be:

• copyedited and free of errors;
• in plain language (i.e., no acronyms; legal jargon replaced with everyday usage);
• accessible from a readability perspective;
• properly formatted;
• consistent in terminology and with other related documents; and
• culturally competent (no idiomatic expressions or colloquialisms).

If a court wishes to use one of the two vendors with which the Judicial Council has established master agreements for translation services, submission of a participating addendum is required. If a court decides to procure translation services independently of the master agreements, it is highly recommended that the court contact a translation provider with language expertise, experience, and translation credentials.

Master Agreements With Translation Vendors
The Judicial Council has entered into master agreements with Avantpage and Prisma for translation services on behalf of judicial branch entities (JBEs). JBEs, which include courts, may place individual orders for translation services by issuing a purchase order as described in section 1 of the agreement.

Master Agreement for Translation Services - Avantpage
Master Agreement for Translation Services - Prisma

To work with a translation vendor under a Judicial Council master agreement:

1. Submit a participating addendum to the vendor: see Appendix E of the master agreement.
2. Read the vendor’s user instructions: Avantpage or Prisma.
3. Contact the vendor directly.
4. Provide the form, material, or web content to the vendor for a quote.
5. Complete a purchase order for service.

Rush translation services and inclusion of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility features are available at an additional cost. Audio translation for videos and modules is also available from the vendors. For more information, please visit the Procurement Services page, under Translation Services.

Once the translated document is received from the translation provider, the court should review the documents for legal and substantive accuracy to ensure that all legal concepts have been accurately communicated and no meaning has been lost in the translation.

The court should format and finalize the documents, if formatting was not part of the deliverable by the translation provider before posting and distribution. Documents should be formatted and reviewed again in their final format by a near-native speaker of the language to ensure that readability has been maintained.

The final translated documents may be made publicly available on local court websites, depending on the type of document and its intended use. Courts are encouraged to share the translated materials with other courts, justice partners, and community-based organizations in their area to ensure dissemination of the information to limited English proficient (LEP) court users and the public at large.

Once a document has been translated, courts should adopt a process to ensure that the translation is updated whenever the original document is revised, and should do so in a timely fashion. In addition, as new forms and documents are created, courts should consider them for translation. In this way, courts can ensure that forms and documents are current and translated for LEP persons and English speakers.

To learn more about maintaining your translation project, please click here.

To return to the Translation Project Guide home page, please click here.