LEGAL LANGUAGE SERVICES

International Evidence-Taking

Have you ever needed to:

• Compel an unwilling witness to testify in Germany?
• Seek document production in Switzerland?
• Authenticate financial records from a bank in Australia?
• Hire a court reporter in Singapore?
• Conduct a video deposition before a commissioner in France?

Legal Language Services is known for its expertise in compelling testimony and document production from reluctant witnesses located abroad. Legal Language offers strategic approaches to obtaining such evidence and maintains a worldwide network of foreign attorneys with practical experience in supporting and defending US evidentiary requests before foreign courts.

Legal Language will draft Hague Evidence Requests pursuant to Chapter I of the 1970 Hague Evidence Convention, or edit and comment on Hague Requests you have already drafted; advise on issues relating to blocking statutes and fishing expeditions; catalog your foreign discovery documents; qualify counsel to vet Hague Requests for compliance with foreign law; apply for official permission to conduct compulsory consular or commissioner depositions; track Hague Requests through foreign court systems; provide local interpreters and court reporters; and negotiate with foreign judges regarding the logistics of deposition hearings, including any special accomodations sought pursuant to Article 9 of the Convention.

Legal Language also provides venues and support staff — foreign attorneys, commissioners, consular officers, court reporters, videographers and interpreters — for depositions of willing witnesses sought under Chapter II of the Hague Evidence Convention, as well as advise on the propriety of so-called “informal depositions” sought pursuant to US rules only.

Where the 1970 Hague Evidence Convention is not in effect, Legal Language will assist in compelling testimony by means of letters rogatory or through direct application to foreign courts.

Legal Language has experience applying for and serving subpoenas on US nationals and residents located abroad pursuant to USC §1783 and can advise on how such subpoenas should be coordinated with multilateral or bilateral judicial assistance agreements which may be in effect.

Legal Language provides translations of legal documents into any of 157 languages. Our certified translations and transcriptions are accepted by jurisdictions around the world.

LLS has the worldwide contacts and the practical, anecdotal information you need to determine the cost and time frame involved in obtaining your evidence as well as the potential pitfalls you may encounter. Call 1-800-788-0450 today to explore a strategy for obtaining foreign evidence for your litigation.