Alternative Dispute Resolution

Class notes - Litigation Module

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

ADR only applies to Civil – not Criminal matters: if you have done something illegal, you cannot negotiate. Criminal is dealt with by the Crown and you don’t bargain with the Queen! J

ADR referes to a variety of techniques for resolving disputes without litigation.

We’ll be having a look at three different types of Alternative Dispute Resolution:

1.-Negotiation

2.-Mediation (3^rd party is involved)

With Negotiation and Mediation, if they don’t get to an agreement, you can go to Court afterwards (but this is not the case with Arbitration).

3.-Arbitration: It’s an exclusive alternative to court proceedings. They have an arbitrator who will reach a decision and this is binding.  You can’t go to Court afterwards if you don’t like the decision.  Spanish: “Arbitraje”.

It is usually all out of Court (that is why it is called “alternative”); it’s an alternative to a Trial.

 NEGOTIATION

n  Negotiation means trying to reach a settlement between the parties without recourse to the courts or any other third parties.

n  It doesn’t cost anything.

n  Theoretically both parties should be happy because they have both agreed to it. It’s quicker too!

n  Participation is voluntary and there is no third party who facilitates the resolution process or imposes a resolution.

n  It’s less formal. It can be done over the phone, via letter, etc.

n   You don’t need lawyers, although Negotiations are generally handled by lawyers. But you can represent yourself if you wish to.

n  Private and confidential

n  Not bound by any formal or statutory requirements/limitations

n  Disadvantages: Not binding (unless a written agreement is entered into)‏; might be a waste of time and money (if you get your lawyers involved for example,…); it can depend on personal sympathy/antipathy; court proceedings might still be necessary.

 MEDIATION

§  Mediation is an informal process whereby a third party (the mediator) guides discussions and tries to get the parties to agree some form of settlement.

§  It can be more amicable. In a family proceeding for example, a divorce settlement,… the two parties (husband & wife) are not friendly to each other anymore, so a mediator could add a little bit of rationality.

§  It’s impartial

§  It takes place outside the Court proceedings.

§  Mediation is also private and confidential (so the mediator can’t be called as a witness for example). There’s a right to confidentiality for statements made in the course of conciliation.

§  There are mediation courses that train and provide mediators. They have their own code of conduct. But in theory, anyone can be a mediator; it doesn’t have to be a legal professional.

§  The mediator is chosen by the parties.

§  Disadvantages: you may have to pay for a Mediator. You might still have to go to Court, because Mediation is not binding. It can be a waste of time and money. It can also depend on personal sympathy.

§  You don’t get penalised if you can’t reach an agreement.

§  It’s up to the parties to suggest proposals, solutions (not the mediator). It is up to them to work through their issues. 

 ARBITRATION

§  An “exclusive” alternative to court proceedings (you can’t appeal afterwards if you don’t like the decision).

§  Binding alternative to court proceedings. The decision made is binding on the parties.

§  An arbitrator’s award is final (it can be challenged – but you can’t take it to Court).

§  No appeals or recourse to court.

§  Similar to court proceedings, although the procedure is not fixed- an arbitrator takes on the role of a judge

§  Architects who deal with architectural matters/ surgeons, etc. They decide they want to deal with it through arbitration, because the arbitrator will know more about that specific subject than a judge.

§  Who appoints the arbitrator? The parties determine how they would choose the arbitrator (it needs to be on the contract where they agree to hold any future dispute to arbitration and establish where to find the arbitrator – the Royal Society of Surgeons, for example)  

§  Confidentiality is an important part of it. Some companies might prefer this option to open Court so that no one knows they have been involved in this or involved with such or such company.

§  Disadvantages: No right to appeal; can be expensive; certainty of legal procedure is not given; parties are at the mercy of the arbitrator; it can take a long time.

§  Travel companies use Arbitration very often.

PLAIN ENGLISH CAMPAIGN

"Be short, be simple, be human."
Sir Ernest Gowers, "The Complete Plain Words", third edition, 1986.

I will be doing a bit of research on the Plain English Campaign and sharing my thoughts in my blog with you.

Here is what I have found out so far:

The Plain English Campaign is an organisation based in the UK which was established in 1979 to fight against gobbledygook, jargon and misleading public information. Their aim is that everyone has access to clear and concise information.
The campaign officially began after founder Chrissie Maher publicly shredded hundreds of official documents in Parliament Square, in London. The campaign funds itself through its commercial services, which include editing and training.
They even offer In-house courses as well as on-line courses and you can get a "Plain English Diploma".

They have 12,000 members in 80 countries around the world!

Let's have a look at this advice from George Orwell:

1- Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

2- Never use a long word when a short one will do.

3- If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

4- Never use the passive where you can use the active.

5- Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

6-Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

George Orwell, "Politics and the English language", in Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell, vol. 4 ed. S. Orwell and I Angus (London: Secker & Warburg, 1968).


"Lawyers have two common failings. One is that they do not write well and the other is that they think they do." Carl Felsenfeld, "The Plain English Movement in the United States". Canadian Business Law Journal, vol. 6, 1981-82.


If you would like to read more about the Plain English Campaign, please visit their website. They even have an online magazine:
http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/plain-english-magazine.html

What are your views on the Plain English Campaign?

It is said that businessess use legalese to confuse their clients. A lay person might not understand, for example, the Terms and Conditions of a new credit card or how the interest rate can change. This could lead to serious problems. Do you think this is just part of the process? Do they do it on purpose so that the buyer doesn't know what they're getting themselves into?

The Plain English Campaign goes further and actually thinks that when the language of corporations and governments confuses citizens, it “takes away our democratic rights,” Chrissie Maher believes "language has been misused and has contributed to the economic disaster.”

I found this interesting article on this subject. If you want to read more about it, please follow this link:

Read more: http://business.time.com/2009/10/06/the-plain-english-campaign-waging-war-against-gobbledygook/#ixzz2B4wLQCd1

Needless is to say that I, personally, find this subject very interesting.

You'll be suprised to know that we are not only talking about legal forms and burocratic writings. I was amazed to find the following abstract on their website:

"Debenhams has provided customers with a ‘plain English’ coffee menu, replacing potentially confusing terms such as ‘Cappuccino’ and ‘Caffe lattte’ with ‘frothy coffee’ and ‘really really milky coffee’.
So, rather than ordering something that sounds exotic but which you’re not entirely sure about, you can now get precisely what you want in no uncertain terms.
The move will surely go down well with the 70% of coffee customers who have suggested that they have experienced ‘coffee confusion’. Rather than mull over buying a ‘mocha’, customers can now be certain that what they’re getting is ‘chocolate flavoured coffee’.
And do you know what size ‘tall’ (small) or ‘venti’ (extra large) is? This is no longer an issue at Debenhams: it’s now a simple case of ‘mug’ or ‘cup’.
Chrissie Maher, Founder Director of Plain English Campaign, is delighted at the move. ”Whether it’s coffee, tea or chocolate, it needs to be in plain English so the customers can make an informed choice. If they can read the menu clearly, they are more likely to try something new – and who knows – they may come back for more.“

What are your thoughts?

Modelo de Testamento (español)

MODELO DE TESTAMENTO

 NÚMERO (de protocolo)

En ........ , mi residencia, a............ de .............. de.......

Ante mí, .................... , Notario del Ilustre Colegio de ....

COMPARECE

Doña/Don .................... , mayor de edad, casada/o , nacido/a el día .......... de........ de ......... , de profesión ........ , natural de......... , y vecina/o de........ , con domicilio en calle......... , y con D.N.I. número......

Tiene a mi juicio el/la compareciente la capacidad legal necesaria para otorgar TESTAMENTO ABIERTO, y al efecto,

DICE:

A) Que es hija/o de los consortes Don.................... , fallecido, y Doña.................... , que vive.

 B) Está casada/o en únicas nupcias con Don/Doña.................... , de cuyo matrimonio tiene.................... hijas/os, llamadas/os.................... y .................... .

C) Que ordena su última voluntad a tenor de las siguientes:

CLÁUSULAS:

PRIMERA.

Lega a su cónyuge el usufructo universal y vitalicio de su herencia, relevándole de la obligación de prestar fianza y hacer inventario o, a su elección, para el caso de que no tenga interés en la totalidad de la herencia en usufructo, lega a su cónyuge antedicha/o el tercio de libre disposición en pleno dominio, además de su cuota legal usufructuaria. La opción del cónyuge se podrá producir hasta el mismo momento en que se produzca el acto de partición de la herencia, sin que los herederos puedan intervenir en la decisión del mismo.

SEGUNDA.

Instituye por sus únicos universales herederos por partes iguales a sus antes mencionados hijas/os, y a los demás hijos que puedan tener en el futuro, con sustitución vulgar, en caso de premoriencia o incapacidad de los mismos, en favor de sus respectivos descendientes.

TERCERA.

Manifiesta que quiere que este testamento valga íntegramente aun en caso de preterición, aunque sea errónea y total, sin perjuicio de la legítima más reducida y estricta que le corresponda al preterido o preteridos.

CUARTA.

Nombra tutor y en su caso curador de sus citadas hijas/os a su cuñada/o Doña/Don .................... .

QUINTA.

Nombra Comisario-Contador-Partidor y Albacea a Doña/Don ........  y, en caso de premoriencia del designado, a Doña/Don …………., con las más amplias facultades legales y en especial con la facultad de liquidar junto con el cónyuge viudo la sociedad conyugal, entregar legados y conmutar el usufructo del cónyuge viudo de acuerdo con éste, señalando como plazo para el ejercicio de su cargo el legal establecido, con prórroga por dos años más.

Así lo dice y otorga, siendo las..... horas y ......minutos.

Leo en alta voz el contenido de este testamento, por elección de su otorgante, advertida por mí de su derecho a leerlo por sí, y de explicarle yo, el Notario, su contenido del que me manifiesta su conformidad, por ser fiel y exacta expresión de su voluntad, y se ratifica y firma conmigo.

De conocer a la compareciente y, en general, de haberse observado las formalidades legales en un solo acto y de todo lo demás consignado en este instrumento público, que queda extendido en ......... folios de la clase......... , serie ....... , números .......... , el presente y el siguiente en orden, doy fe.

Vocabulary related to "Leaseholds" and "Tenancy Agreements" English-Spanish

Glossary ENG - SPA - Leasehold:
Note: This Glossary is NOT intended to be an authoritative reference document that determines once and for all the only correct way to translate an English word or phrase.

Developer: promotor o empresa promotora

Demise premises: propiedad arrendada o Inmueble arrendado
Covenants (The lessee's covenants): las obligaciones del arrendatario
Easement: Servidumbres
Freehold Title Registered: Título de la Propiedad en dominio absoluto
Hereinafter called: En lo sucesivo denominado
Inland Revenue: Agencia Tributaria o Hacienda Pública
Land: Parcela, o Inmueble o Terreno (depende del contexto)
Land Law: Derecho del suelo

Land Registry: Registro de la Propiedad

Leasehold: Arrendamiento

Lessee: Arrendatario Plot: Finca
Premium: Es una especie de pago inicial por el traspaso. Se puede traducir como: pago inicial por traspaso o pago inicial. Es como una “Entrada”
Property: Propiedad o Inmueble
Purchaser: Comprador
The Manager: Sociedad gestora o El Administrador
The rent: la renta
The term: Duración del contrato
Vendor: Vendedor

VOCABULARY Tenancy Agreemeent (Contrato de Arrendamiento):

Agreement: Contrato (o acuerdo)

Court Order: Orden judicial

Dwelling: Vivienda

Housing Act: La Ley de la Vivienda

Landlord: Propietario/ Arrendador

Leaseholder: Arrendatario

Fixtures and fittings: instalaciones fijas y bienes accesorios (Fixtures se refiere a las instalaciones fijas, mientras que los fittings, son los enseres, muebles, lámparas, cortinas, etc.).

Notice to Quit: Notificación de desahucio

Responsabilities: Obligaciones

Rights: Los derechos

Terms of the tenancy: las condiciones de la tenencia (o del contrato)

Tenant: Arrendatario

Tenure: Tenencia

Unfurnished: sin amueblar

- NOW THIS DEED WITNESSETH as follows: Por la presente escritura, se hace constar…

- Yardas y Pulgadas deberán convertirse a metros y centímetos.

Translation of wills and testaments into Spanish

Useful vocabulary when you are translating a will from English into Spanish(Vocabulario útil para traducir un testamento del inglés al español)

Last will and testament: Última voluntad y testamento de X

Glosario (en orden alfabético)

Absolute decree: sentencia de divorcio definitiva

Beneficiary: Beneficiarios
Benefactor: Benefactor. El Testador o el Fideicomitente.
Codicil: Codicilo testamentario (una nota aparte del testamento)
Deceased: El fallecido, el defunto (o el finado – más formal)
Decree Nisi: Sentencia provisional
Dependants: Las personas a su cargo
Estate: Normalmente se refiere al patrimonio; pero hablando de testamentos, existen otras palabras más específicas: la masa heridataria, el caudal hereditario.
Executor: Albacea (un albacea tiene funciones diferentes de un executor en el Reino Unido)

Inherit: Heredar
Inheritance: Herencia

Intestate: Intestado, sin testar, sin haber hecho testamento
Living wills: Testamento vital

Null and void: completamente inválido

Of sound mind: en pleno uso de sus facultades mentales

Of age: mayor de edad
Power of attorney: Poder (de representación)
Probate: Validación de un testamento. Certificadode validez
Regarding probate matters: asuntos testamentarios 
Trust: Fideicomiso
Trustee: Fidiuciario (Antiguamente se le conocía como "Fideicomisario", pero es erróneo)

Definición de algunos de estos términos:

ALBACEA  (Executor)– Persona o compañía nombrada en un testamento para llevar a cabo las instrucciones y pedidos. El albacea es supervisado generalmente por el tribunal

testamentario.

FIDUCIARIO (Trustee)– Una persona que actúa para el beneficio de otra, como fideicomisario o guardián.

English/Spanish Legal Glossary Rev. 08/06 94

SUCESIÓN INTESTADA (INTESTATE SUCCESSION) El proceso por el cual la propiedad de una persona que ha muerto sin testamento pasa a otros de acuerdo con la ley del estado.

English/Spanish Legal Glossary Rev. 08/06 112

Translation of Employment Contracts ENGLISH-SPANISH

Notes on the translation of Employment Contracts from English into Spanish:

(please do not take these translations as the ONLY translation possible. In some cases, this is just my version of it, according to the texts I have been working with, but it might not be suitable in another context).

- Employment Contract: Contrato de Trabajo

- Breach of contract: Incumplimiento de contrato

- By contract: por contrato

- Employer: El Empleador (it is used more often now in Spanish employment contracts. It could also be translated as "La Empresa").

- Continous Employment: Antigüedad laboral. It can also be translated as "empleo ininterrumpido".
  The concept of continuous employment is of fundamental importance in the UK employment law because:-
* an employee must complete a minimum period of "continuous employment" to be eligible for certain rights; and
* length of continuous employment is often an important factor in assessing any compensation which may be due to him (e.g. on unfair dismissal or redundancy )

- Registered office: domicilio social

- Place of work: Lugar de trabajo
- Termination of the contract: Extinción del contrato

- Notice period: plazo/período de preaviso

- Redundancy payment: indemnización por despido

- Serious or gross misconduct: Faltas graves o muy graves
In Spanish, there is a differentiation between "faltas leves, graves o muy graves". See link below for a better explanation:
http://www.madrid.org/cs/Satellite?blobcol=paginapdf&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=CM_Pagina_BOCM&blobwhere=1142342206376&ssbinary=true

- Payment in lieu of: pago sustitutivo
The loan “payment in lieu “, refers to a payment that is given in place of an entitlement (Source: Qfinance)
It is not always possible to find a loan word with the same meaning or associations and be able to keep the stylistic effect in the TT. In this case, I tried to find an expression in the TT which maintains the propositional meaning of the loan, even if the effect and style are lost in the translation process.

- Deductions: Retenciones

- Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures: Procedimiento disciplinario y de resolución de conflictos

- Working Time Regulations: Reglamento sobre Horas de Trabajo (leave the name of the legislation in English too, in case the reader wants to access this reference).

- Stakeholder pensions: "plan de pensiones de partícipe" (stakeholder pensions).

Stakeholder pensions, available in the UK from April 2001, aim to provide a low-cost, transparent and flexible way for people on low incomes to make additional provisions for their retirement. This concept is specific to UK law. Baker describes this type of problem as “culture-specific” problem of non- equivalence (Baker, 18). The translator needs to find a descriptive equivalent which will explain the concept in the TL. The strategy I decided to use, in this case, is to keep the name in English, in brackets, after using a descriptive equivalent “plan de pensiones de partícipe” which helps the target reader understand the concept.

If you need to find parallel texts in Spanish, I would suggest you have a look at employment contracts used by the Spanish “Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE)”, an autonomous body of the Spanish Government whose main function is the management of employment, public registry of contracts, etc.

Suggested reading for legal translators

Alcaraz, E. & B. Hughes, (2002)  Legal Translation Explained  Manchester: St Jerome Baker, M (1992, rpt. 1999) In Other Words.  London and New York: Routledge. 
Bhatia, V.K. (1993) Analysing Genre, Language Use in Professional Settings London: Longman
Cao, D. ( 2007) Translating Law Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Ltd
Munday, J (2008) Introducing Translation Studies. Theories and Applications (2nd edn). London and New York: Routledge.
Owens, K. (2001) Law for Non Law Students London: Cavendish
Samuelsson-Brown, G (2004) A Practical Guide for Translators (4th edn). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

BOOKS RELATING TO THE LAW OF CONTRACTS:

English
Beatson, J (2002) Anson’s Law of Contract Oxford: OUP
Lucas, N (2001)  Law of Contract  London: Blackstone
Treitel, G H (2004) An Outline of the Law of Contract Oxford: OUP

Spanish
Serrano Alonso, E. (2009) Manual de Derecho de Obligaciones y Contratos.Tomo II Vol.2  Edisofer
Gete-Alonso y Calera, M. (2008) Estudios sobre el contrato. Atelier
Rogel Vide, C. (2008) Estudios de Derecho Civil. Obligaciones y contrato. Editorial Reus

BOOKS ON PROPERTY LAW:

 

 

English

Garner, S. & A. Frith (2008) A Practical Approach to Landlord and Tenant  Oxford: OUP

Murphy, T., S. Roberts and T. Flessas (2004) Understanding Property Law  London: Sweet nd Maxwell

Oakley, A.J. (2002) Magarry’s Manual of the Law of Real Property  London: Sweet and Maxwell

Spanish

Pena López, J. (2009) Concepto del derecho real. Torculo Edicións

Pérez, E. (2009) Régimen Jurídico Estatal y Autonómico de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria,  2 tomos. Etorial Bosch. Editorial Tecnos.

Cuevillas Matozzi, I. (2009) Instituciones de Derecho Civil Patrimonial

Sanmartín Escriche, Fernando (2009) Esquema de sucesiones y herencias. Esquemas tomo XXIV. Editorial: Tirant lo Blanch.

Sánchez Román, F. (2008 ) Estudios de derecho civil, VI . 3 vols. Derecho de sucesión. Analecta Editorial


                                 BOOKS ON LITIGATION

English

Hannibal, M & Mountford, L (2011) Criminal Litigation Handbook (2011-12) Oxford: OUP

Sime, S & French, D. (eds) (2012) Blackstone’s Civil Practice, Oxford OUP

Solan, L.M. (1993) The Language Of Judges, Chicago: University of Chicago

Spanish

Aragoneses Martínez, S. (2008) Lecciones de Derecho Procesal Civil. Editorial Universitaria Ramón Areces.

Robles Garzón, J. (2008) Conceptos básicos de Derecho Procesal Civil. Editorial Tecnos.

Alvarez, I. (2008) El juicio civil. Editorial Gomylex.

López Barja de Quiroga, J. (2009) Tratado de Derecho Procesal Penal. Aranzadi.

Moreno Catena, V y Cortés Domínguez, V. (2008) Derecho Procesal Penal. Tirant Lo Blanch, Valencia.

 

This post will be regularly updated - see PAGES on the top menu.

A legal translator in Scotland!

The first question I get asked when meeting new people in Scotland is: what is a girl from Gran Canaria doing in Scotland??? Well, the answer is easy: Legal Translation!
I am one out of THREE legal translators registered with the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh.

This means I get quite a lot of work and it means I've had to learn fast about how to deal with clients, how to say "no" when I have too much work, how to organize myself,...all in all, how to become an efficient legal translator in Scotland!

Mostly I am asked to translate from Spanish into English, which is more of a challenge for me, but I enjoy it even more!!! I always make sure I get a proofreader to read my work after I have finished the translation to make sure it is up to standards! 

I translate birth, marriage and death certificates more than anything else, but I do get a few title deeds every couple of months, and a few wills and testaments. I also deal with lots of university students who need their academic certificates and transcripts of notes translated, either from Spanish universities to  be able to work/study in the UK, or from British students who are planning to leave and work/study abroad. 

I will be talking more about my experience in Scotland in later posts.

Right now, I am dealing with the translation of a Title Deed from Spanish into English,...always a challenge!!! But who doesn't love a challenge?

Can you spot the differences between these pictures?

I can see why people ask me: what are you doing in Scotland?
This pictures was taken in DECEMBER!