Last updated: 11 August 2026
Court documents are the least forgiving category in legal translation. A rejected certificate costs you a second trip; a rejected court filing can cost you a hearing date. Here is what UAE courts actually require.
Arabic is the default — with one exception
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022, Arabic is the official language of the courts, and non-Arabic-speaking litigants and witnesses are heard through a sworn interpreter.
Article 5 creates the exception: the President of the Federal Judicial Council or the head of a local judicial authority may designate specific divisions handling specialised disputes where proceedings, judgments and decisions are in English. Confirm which division your matter sits in before you commission translation — it changes what you need.
What counts as a court document
- Statements of claim, defences and memoranda
- Evidence bundles — contracts, invoices, correspondence, bank records
- Foreign judgments and arbitral awards submitted for recognition or enforcement
- Affidavits and sworn declarations — see affidavit translation
- Powers of attorney authorising representation — see power of attorney translation
- Expert reports and technical annexes
Six requirements that decide acceptance
1. Completeness
Stamps, seals, marginal notes, signature blocks and back-page endorsements are part of the document. Omitting a stamp because it “is not text” is a common rejection cause.
2. Terminological consistency across the bundle
If a defined term is rendered one way in the contract and another way in the memorandum, the opposing side will use it. Translate the bundle as one job, not file by file.
3. Names matching official identity documents
Party names must match passports, trade licences and the register — not phonetic transliteration.
4. Numbers, dates and currencies preserved exactly
Date formats differ between jurisdictions. An ambiguous date in a limitation-period argument is a real risk.
5. Correct handling of the operative part of a judgment
For enforcement, the operative part (منطوق الحكم) carries the obligation. It must be rendered precisely — see court judgment translation.
6. A stamp from a translator who can be held accountable
Only an MOJ-registered, sworn translator can provide this. The Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022 framework includes a Translators Disciplinary Board — accountability is the point.
Practical sequence for a foreign judgment
| Step | What it involves |
|---|---|
| 1. Obtain a certified copy | From the issuing court, with its seal |
| 2. Legalise in the issuing country | Foreign ministry of that country |
| 3. UAE embassy attestation | In the country of issue |
| 4. MOFA attestation | Inside the UAE |
| 5. Certified Arabic translation | After all stamps exist, so they are captured |
The costly mistake: translating at step 1. Every stamp added afterwards falls outside the translation, and the file goes back for a second one.
Filing at a UAE court?
Send the full bundle in one message with your filing deadline. We translate the set together so terminology stays consistent, and confirm the price before starting.
Related: court document translation · when certification is required · turnaround times.
