Tomedes Delivers Accurate Spanish Translation for Federal Case in 48 Hours

The client

Company name: R. W. Legal Services (pseudonym)
What does the company do?
The institution provides federal legal defense services in criminal cases.

Deadline set by the client: 24 hours to 48 hours
What do they need?
The client required English to Spanish translation of legal documents—including a final judgment letter and plea agreement—for a Spanish-speaking defendant to ensure full comprehension of sentencing, appeal waivers, and deportation implications.

The challenges

The source documents contained detailed references to U.S. criminal law, including plea agreements, sentencing calculations, and waiver of appeal rights. Translating these accurately required specialized legal knowledge to preserve legal intent and prevent any misinterpretation that could adversely impact the defendant.

The legal team requested the translation be completed within 24 to 48 hours to comply with ongoing court procedures and internal documentation timelines. This imposed a significant constraint on resource planning and required immediate action to ensure delivery without sacrificing accuracy or quality.

Given that the defendant was expected to be deported to Mexico after sentencing, the translation had to be culturally and linguistically appropriate for a Mexican Spanish-speaking audience. This demanded not only fluency in Spanish, but also a nuanced understanding of regional vocabulary and syntax to ensure clarity and respect for local conventions.

Why Tomedes?

Tomedes is a trusted translation company with over a decade of experience specializing in legal translations, partnering with court-approved linguists who are well-versed in the complexities of judicial language and procedures.

Tomedes’ translators are trained to handle sensitive legal documents with the highest level of precision, ensuring that every term is rendered faithfully to its original intent. This level of expertise is essential in federal criminal cases where even slight inaccuracies can have serious legal repercussions.

In addition to accuracy, Tomedes prioritizes speed and discretion. They understand the pressures faced by legal professionals and meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality or confidentiality of the documents. 

The team also includes native speakers proficient in regional dialects, such as Mexican Spanish, guaranteeing translations that are both linguistically and culturally appropriate for the intended audience.

The solution

A certified legal translator, fluent in Mexican Spanish and with a background in U.S. federal criminal law, was assigned to the project.

Leveraging Tomedes’ global network of hundreds of specialized legal linguists, the company ensured the selected expert possessed the precise combination of legal expertise and language proficiency required.

Their familiarity with terminology such as sentencing guidelines, plea agreements, and deportation provisions allowed for an accurate and clear translation tailored to the defendant's cultural context.

Following translation, the document underwent Tomedes’ rigorous quality assurance process, which involves dual-review and is applied to 100% of legal projects to ensure consistency and accuracy. 

Tomedes’ QA specialists focus on maintaining terminology integrity and legal intent—a key reason why our legal translation error rate remains below 0.05%. 

Throughout the project, Tomedes maintained clear communication with the legal team, a practice that contributes to our 96% client satisfaction rate in leg

The result

The defendant received his translated documents on time, helping him clearly understand his sentence, estimated release date, and what to expect after serving his time. 

Because the translation was in accurate Mexican Spanish, it made complex legal language easy for him to follow and reduced any confusion. This gave him confidence in the process and helped him make informed choices.

For the legal team, getting the translation quickly meant they could meet court deadlines without stress. The accuracy of the translation also made it easier for them to explain the case to their client and handle follow-up discussions smoothly. 

Working with Tomedes helped keep everything clear and on track, supporting fair communication at every step.

Conclusion

Legal translation plays a pivotal role in upholding justice for non-English-speaking defendants. Tomedes is proud to support legal professionals with precise, region-specific translations that meet court standards. 

If you're a legal professional in need of fast, accurate, and court-compliant translation services, Tomedes is here to help. Contact us today to ensure your legal documents are handled with the precision and confidentiality they deserve.