So far, our website has mainly discussed documents commissioned by private individuals or companies. In this article, we focus on a more specific area: certified translations of court judgments. These are typical legal translations that may be commissioned both by private or business clients and directly by judicial authorities, including courts and public prosecutor’s offices.
In this article, we explain who most commonly commissions this type of translation, when it is required, what formal requirements apply and how the cost is calculated.
When Is a Certified Translation of a Court Judgment Required?
Table of content
The need for a court judgment translation depends largely on who is commissioning the service.
For private clients, such a document is usually required for official procedures abroad. In many cases, the purpose is to enable a judgment issued in Poland to be recognised by a foreign institution.
A certified translation can be essential, for example, in matters involving the enforcement of maintenance payments, child custody or recognition of a divorce.
In such situations, a certified translation of a marriage certificate or a certified translation of a birth certificate may also be required as supplementary documentation for the court proceedings.
Another example is the need to conduct inheritance proceedings abroad.
It is also worth remembering that, in international document circulation, additional legalisation or an Apostille may be required so that the judgment can be used in another country. You can read more about additional document certification and Apostille requirements in our guide to Apostille and additional certification of sworn translations.
Courts and public prosecutor’s offices, on the other hand, usually commission translations when an accused person does not speak Polish.
To enable that person to understand the content of the judgment and the rights available to them, the court must provide a translation into a language they understand.
In these situations, the role of a sworn translator working with the judiciary is particularly important, especially in international proceedings such as those involving a European Arrest Warrant. More information about the translator’s work in court proceedings is available in our section on court and legal interpreting.
Who Commissions a Certified Translation of a Court Judgment and How?
The ordering procedure differs significantly depending on whether the client is a private individual or company, or a state institution.
1. Private and Business Clients
Before MS Mostowy Translator’s Office begins the translation, a quotation must first be prepared.
The client sends us a scan of the judgment or provides the original document, and we determine the cost and expected completion date.
After the client accepts the terms and pays the required advance payment, we prepare the translation and then deliver the completed document to the client. In many cases, the original document may need to be presented for inspection.
General information about the requirements applicable to this type of document is available in our certified translation services section.
2. Courts and Public Prosecutor’s Offices
The procedure is different when the translation is commissioned by a court or public prosecutor’s office.
The court usually sends a formal decision appointing the translator as an expert by registered mail together with the documents to be translated.
The appointment specifies the deadline for completing the assignment, usually 7 or 14 days.
The translator prepares the translation and sends the completed documents back together with the invoice by priority registered mail.
This provides proof of dispatch, which is important if the court subsequently asks about the status of the assignment.
What Are the Formal Requirements for a Certified Translation of a Court Judgment?
A translated court judgment is an official document. It may only be prepared by a person holding the relevant authorisation granted by the Ministry of Justice.
When choosing a translator, it is therefore important to verify that the person is authorised to prepare certified translations. More information is available in our guide on how to find and verify a sworn translator in Poland.
Every certified translation of a court judgment must meet a number of formal requirements:
- Form: The document is printed and bears the translator’s official seal and signature.
- Description of the document: The translator must describe the relevant features of the source document, including court seals, judges’ signatures and annotations.
- Faithfulness of the translation: The content must be translated faithfully, even if the source document contains errors.
- Certification clause: At the end of the translation, the translator states whether the translation was prepared from the original or from a copy and provides the relevant repertory number.
Confidentiality is another extremely important aspect when dealing with court documentation.
The professional rules governing sworn translators impose strict ethical requirements concerning confidentiality. Breaches of these obligations may result in criminal or disciplinary liability.
You can read more about these principles in the MS Mostowy Rules of Professional Ethics.
How Much Does a Certified Translation of a Court Judgment Cost?
Many clients ask how much a certified translation of a court judgment costs and why the number of billing pages may differ from the number of physical pages in the source document.
For certified translations, one billing page equals 1,125 characters including spaces, rather than one physical A4 sheet.
Court judgments are often printed in small type and may contain extensive reasoning and numerous annotations.
As a result, a judgment consisting of two physical pages may amount to five billing pages after translation.
In the case of legal texts, an additional 25% surcharge for specialist terminology may also apply.
This helps explain why certified translations can cost considerably more than standard translations. For more information about the difference between physical and billing pages, see our article explaining why certified translations can cost more than expected.
Examples from MS Mostowy Translator’s Office
- A standard short judgment consisting of 2–3 physical pages usually amounts to approximately 3–5 billing pages.
- A judgment with extensive reasoning prepared for a limited liability company in February 2025 resulted in as many as 45 billing pages.
This is why we always ask clients to send us a scan of the document before we prepare a quotation. Without reviewing the judgment, it is not possible to accurately estimate the final cost.
You can also find general information about our billing method in the MS Mostowy translation pricelist.
Courts and Public Prosecutor’s Offices vs. Private and Business Clients – Procedure Summary
If you are a private client, the most important issue is to establish whether you need a certified translation prepared from the original document or whether another form of translation will be sufficient.
In the case of court judgments, a certified translation will almost always be required.
Contact us by email, send the document for assessment and we will prepare a quotation and determine the next steps.
When the client is a court or public prosecutor’s office, cooperation is based on a formal appointment and official correspondence.
Regardless of who commissions the translation, MS Mostowy Translator’s Office ensures timely completion and the highest level of care required when handling court documentation.
FAQ – Certified Translation of a Court Judgment
A certified translation is commonly required when a Polish court judgment must be presented to a foreign institution, for example in matters involving divorce, maintenance payments, child custody or inheritance proceedings. It may also be commissioned by courts or public prosecutor’s offices when the person concerned does not speak Polish.
A certified translation of a court judgment may only be prepared by a translator holding the appropriate authorisation granted by the Ministry of Justice. The translation must comply with the formal requirements applicable to certified translations.
The cost is based on the number of billing pages rather than the number of physical A4 pages. One billing page of a certified translation equals 1,125 characters including spaces. Court judgments may contain dense legal text and extensive reasoning, which can significantly increase the number of billing pages.
For private and business clients, the completion date is determined after the document has been reviewed and quoted. When a court or public prosecutor’s office commissions the translation, the deadline is specified in the formal appointment and is usually 7 or 14 days.
The client may initially send a scan of the judgment for quotation purposes or provide the original document. Depending on the requirements of the institution where the translation will be submitted, the original may need to be presented to the translator for inspection.
