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✍️ Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and senior teacher at Start Language School by Tymur Levitin / Levitin Language School
© Tymur Levitin. All rights reserved. Translation logic, examples, and structure — original author methodology.
⚖️ Why Legal Translation from Eastern Europe Requires Extra Care
Legal documents written in Russian, Ukrainian, and other Eastern European languages often look similar — but their legal structure, terminology, and consequences differ drastically.
To make matters more complex, many terms do not have direct equivalents in English or German legal systems. Some combine several procedural meanings. Others depend on whether the document is a ruling, a certified extract, or a fast-track order.
In this article, we compare real legal terms used in documents written in Russian and Ukrainian, and we analyze their translation into English and German — with side-by-side equivalents, case examples, and warnings about mistranslation.
✅ No political references are made. The focus is legal-linguistic, not geographic.
✅ Each term is analyzed across four languages: 🇬🇧 English, 🇩🇪 German, 🇺🇦 Ukrainian, and 🇷🇺 Russian (as languages).
📄 Not All Court Documents Are Created Equal
One of the biggest risks in translation is assuming that a term like “решение” or “ухвала” always means “decision” or “judgment”. In fact, the legal and procedural meaning may differ.
We divide documents into two key categories:
| Legal Category | Description | Examples (EN) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Content | The actual ruling, judgment, or procedural act | Judgment, ruling, decision, order |
| Court Document | Certified copy of that ruling (used for proof) | Court document, certified extract, writ |
Let’s examine each type across all four languages.
🧾 Key Legal Terms (Cross-Language Comparison)
1. Судебное решение / Рішення суду — Judgment / Urteil
Meaning: Final court decision that ends a case. Contains facts, legal reasoning, and outcome.
| Language | Term |
| Russian | Решение суда |
| Ukrainian | Рішення суду |
| English | Judgment / Final Court Decision |
| German | Urteil / Endurteil |
📌 Note: In Ukrainian and Russian, this can refer to both the legal act and the physical document.
Example: 📄 Рішення суду про розірвання шлюбу
➤ EN: Judgment on divorce
➤ DE: Urteil über die Scheidung
➤ RU: Решение суда о расторжении брака
➤ UA: Рішення суду про розірвання шлюбу
2. Ухвала / Определение — Court Order / Beschluss
Meaning: Procedural step or instruction from the court (not the final decision).
| Language | Term |
| Russian | Определение суда |
| Ukrainian | Ухвала суду |
| English | Court order / Procedural ruling |
| German | Beschluss |
Example: 📄 Ухвала суду про відкриття провадження
➤ EN: Order to open proceedings
➤ DE: Beschluss über die Verfahrenseröffnung
➤ RU: Определение об открытии производства
➤ UA: Ухвала про відкриття провадження
3. Судовий наказ / Судебный приказ — Writ / Vollstreckungsbefehl
Meaning: Simplified, non-contested fast-track decision (e.g. debt, alimony).
| Language | Term |
| Russian | Судебный приказ |
| Ukrainian | Судовий наказ |
| English | Writ / Payment Order / Court Order |
| German | Vollstreckungsbescheid / Mahnbescheid |
Example: 📄 Судовий наказ про стягнення аліментів
➤ EN: Court order for child support
➤ DE: Vollstreckungsbescheid wegen Unterhalt
➤ RU: Судебный приказ о взыскании алиментов
➤ UA: Судовий наказ про стягнення аліментів
4. Витяг / Выписка — Extract / Certified Copy
Meaning: Official excerpt from a judgment, used as proof or for submission abroad.
| Language | Term |
| Russian | Выписка из решения суда |
| Ukrainian | Витяг з рішення суду |
| English | Extract from judgment / Certified copy |
| German | Auszug aus dem Urteil / Urkunde |
Example: 📄 Витяг з рішення суду про визнання батьківства
➤ EN: Extract from judgment on paternity
➤ DE: Auszug aus dem Urteil zur Vaterschaft
➤ RU: Выписка о признании отцовства
➤ UA: Витяг про визнання батьківства
🧠 Don’t Confuse the Content with the Paper
Many translators confuse:
- The legal resolution itself (judgment / decision / order)
- With the physical, certified document (Urkunde / certified copy)
This can lead to: ❌ Invalid apostille ❌ Rejection by authorities abroad ❌ Misunderstood legal effects
| Document Type | Ukrainian | Russian | English | German |
| Final decision | Рішення суду | Решение суда | Judgment | Urteil / Endurteil |
| Interim ruling | Ухвала | Определение | Order / Procedural ruling | Beschluss |
| Fast-track writ | Судовий наказ | Судебный приказ | Payment order / Court writ | Vollstreckungsbescheid |
| Certified extract | Витяг | Выписка | Certified copy / Extract | Auszug / Urkunde |
🧩 Legal Risks of Wrong Translation
| Mistake | Consequence |
| Translating “judgment” as “decision” | Ambiguity in legal status or enforcement |
| Using “document” instead of certified copy | Refusal to accept for apostille or submission |
| Confusing “order” with “наказ” | Major legal misunderstanding |
| Leaving “Urkunde” as “document” | Loss of legal effect — vague and unusable |
✅ Accurate legal translation protects rights, supports claims, and ensures compliance.
🔗 Related Articles
🔹 How to Translate German Court Documents
🔹 How to Translate Ukrainian Court Documents
🔹 How to Translate English Court Terms into German, Ukrainian, and Russian
🔹 Understanding Realia in Legal Translation
📚 Learn Legal Terminology With Us
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🖋️ Author & Copyright
Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and senior teacher at
Start Language School by Tymur Levitin / Levitin Language School
© Tymur Levitin. All rights reserved. Translation methodology and structure based on real court documents.
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