Our Translators
What is a French 'traducteur assermenté'
In France, a sworn translator is proposed, screened (experience, qualifications, morals) and approved by the courts. Their main role is to provide legal translations for courts, police stations, customs, town halls, prefectures and other civic, judicial, military and diplomatic bodies. Their second role is to provide official translations for the major events in the life of the public and professionals.
The term 'sworn in' means that the translator has taken an oath to be available and to provide legally-dependable translations. Although different French sites prefer different titles, such as 'traducteur agréé', 'traducteur juré', 'expert traducteur' and 'certified translator' they are all different titles for the same person. Our official French title is 'traducteur-interprète expert près la Cour d’Appel'.
Where can I see a list of Sworn Translators in France?
The best way to check a French Sworn Translator’s status is to consult the list of ‘experts judiciaires - interprétariat -traduction’ at your town hall, prefecture, or on the website of the Cour de Cassation (France's highest court). These lists are compiled by the regional Courts of Appeal (ours is Poitiers), but the lists don’t restrict a translator to a particular juristiction, region or country.
Are my confidential documents in safe hands?
Yes they are, and here’s the proof: unlike agencies, we don’t subcontract our translations to the cheapest bidder, nor use unknown subcontractors. We don’t store any confidential documents in any clouds, nor translate using CAT software (Computer Aided Translations). All translations are double checked internally and posted back to you by code-protected PDF and by priority recorded post. Your personal details are stored in compliance with Article 6(1) of EU Regulation 2016/679 of 27 April 2016, and, the cherry on the cake, if in two years' time, you write asking for another copy of an old translation, you'll need to prove who you are again.
Our Sworn Translators
We are not a translation agency, but fellow sworn translators and friends. We have intentionally remained small scale. We do not have a long list of freelance subcontractors to manage, but a small list of permanent, dependable translators, one translator per language. The benefits of choosing to work with a small firm are the cheaper prices and direct and individualised attention and expertise that clients receive.
.jpg)
Peter Rawlingson
Sworn Translator in English and French
Caroline Majou
Sworn Translator in Spanish, English and French
Peter Rawlingson has been a Sworn Translator in English and French, registered with the Poitiers Court of Appeal since 1994. As well as working for courts, professionals and private clients, he also teaches translating at the University of La Rochelle, interprets at the Rochefort Pacific Festival and annually takes part in his local secondary school's "Professional Day" to explain the job of translating to college-level pupils. One of his hobbies is literary translating and he's a member of the prestigious ALTF (Association of Literary Translators in France).
After finishing a French translation of an autobiographical novel written by the Irish author Christopher NOLAN called Under the Eye of the Clock, Caroline MAJOU became a sworn French, Spanish and English translator in 1992, registered with the Court of Appeal of Poitiers. Along with her activities as a translator, she was a university and secondary school teacher until 2009. Since that date, she has mainly concentrated on legal translations for courts and private clients.