Module 3. Translation Exercise

7/28/2019 Module 3. Translation Exercise

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Translation & Writing Exercises

Basic Instructions:

1. We have prepared three exercises for you.2. Start with the one that you feel more comfortable with.3. You may do as much as you feel appropriate.4. The more you practice the better.5. You do not need to do all of the exercises if you do not want to.6. When you finish, send it to:[email protected] that we can provide

you with feedback.

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Module 3: Litigation

Exercise A

Translation Practice (English-Spanish)

Source Text Your Translation

In September 2009 the Mexico City Congress passed amajor reform of the Code of Civil Procedure of theFederal District. Of around 1,000 articles in the code,over 300 were amended. The key amendmentsincluded the introduction of oral proceedings and theuse of electronic service of notifications. The reformalso sought to improve the appeals process, thecollection and production of evidence and foreclosureproceedings.

Electronic communications

The changes to the rules on using electroniccommunications in certain procedural stages havegenerally been seen as a positive development. Theterm 'electronic communications' now appears in sevenprovisions of the code. Such communications can beused for requests between courts, general notificationsin proceedings, notifications to witnesses and, in thenew oral proceedings, all notifications except service.Oral proceedings can be recorded electronically andparties may request a copy of the electronic record.

However, the new rules do not define the term'electronic communications'. Although this can beremedied in guidelines from the local judiciary council(ie, the administrative body of the local judiciary) or bythe interpretation of the federal courts, it would havebeen preferable to have a definition in the code. Forexample, Article 89 of the Commercial Codeestablishes that the term 'data message' refers toinformation generated, sent, received or stored byelectronic, optical or similar technologies, and that'information system' means a system for generating,sending, receiving, storing or otherwise processing datamessages. These definitions provide clarity incommercial transactions. Article 111 of the Rules ofCivil Procedure establishes that notifications within

proceedings can be made by electronic means. Despitethe lack of definition, the amendments are considereduseful, as they will help to eliminate unnecessaryformalities in civil proceedings, especially with respectto notifications.

Oral proceedings

One of the most controversial amendments is theaddition of a new section regulating oral proceedings.Such proceedings are limited to cases where a setamount is in dispute - at present, the threshold isPs212,460 (approximately $16,300). Decisionsrendered in such proceedings are not subject to appeal.

The drafting of the new section is over-complicated,duplicating several provisions on ordinary civil

En septiembre de 2009, el Congreso de la Ciudad deMxico aprob una reforma importante al Cdigo deProcedimientos Civiles del Distrito Federal. De 1000artculos en el cdigo cerca de 300 fueron reformados.Las modificaciones clave incluyen la introduccin deprocedimientos orales y el uso del servicio electrnicode notificaciones. La reforma tambin busc mejorar elproceso de apelacin, la recoleccin y produccin depruebas y los procesos hipotecarios.


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proceedings instead of simply referring to the generalrules. However, the new section sets out several rulesthat did not exist in civil proceedings in Mexico City. Forexample, the general rule is that parties submit theirarguments orally at the hearing and that all notifications(except service) can be made electronically. Thechanges also provide that parties can submit evidence

in the claim, response, counterclaim and response tocounterclaim, rather than only in the claim andresponse. In addition, the time allotted for a response toa claim is now 15 days, rather than nine days; theperiod for responding to a counterclaim has beenextended from five days to 10 days.

The amendments establish that the judge can conductthe hearing as he or she considers appropriate and thatproceedings can be recorded electronically. They alsoprovide for a preliminary hearing in which to determineaccepted facts and reach agreements anddeterminations regarding evidence; this hearing alsoallows for an attempt at conciliation.

The amendments are a first step towards incorporatingoral proceedings into Mexico City's civil procedure andchanging Mexico's overly formal civil procedure.However, the amendments could have been applied toall civil cases, rather than only to small-value claims.

New appeal system

Mexico City's civil procedure rules have traditionallymade it difficult and complicated to challenge a court'sresolutions. Although the amendments reduced thenumber of available challenges from five to four, theystill leave room for confusion. For instance, they furthercomplicate the processing of appeals - the most

frequently used form of challenge is the one that wasmost amended. However, the amendments seek toallow for faster court proceedings by leaving certainintermediate appeals (ie, appeals against resolutionsissued by the judge during proceedings) to beconsidered alongside an appeal against the finaldecision on the merits. They also make decisions moreeffective in certain circumstances by allowing for theenforcement of a first instance judgment despite thefiling of an appeal against it.

Previously, all intermediate appeals were resolved bythe appeal court at the time of fil ing, which made itnecessary to present all arguments and allegations in

the intermediate appeal. However, such appeals did nothalt the processing of first instance proceedings.However, final appeals barred the enforcement of firstinstance judgments. This system created problems incases where the appeal court's decision on anintermediate appeal was issued after the civil court hadrendered a final decision on the merits of the case;moreover, there was no way of enforcing a firstinstance judgment if it was appealed.

The reform provides that reasons need not beadvanced with the intermediate appeal, but shouldinstead be filed with the final appeal - intermediateappeals and the final appeal are decided together.Where the intermediate appeal relates to the

admissibility of evidence, the appeal court must studyand (if appropriate) receive such pending evidence


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before ruling on the merits of the final appeal.Intermediate appeals are examined only if the partybringing the appeal can show that the appeal has animpact on the merits of the case.

However, this new system does not apply in all cases -in a number of circumstances, intermediate appeals

follow the old system. The applicable system dependson the type of resolution being challenged. Determiningthe correct approach requires reference to the entirecode, since the exceptions are not grouped in the samearticle or section.

Apart from these provisions, the most significantchange in respect of final appeals is that in certaincases (ie, real estate lease proceedings, mortgageforeclosure proceedings and other summaryproceedings), a final appeal does not preventenforcement of the first instance judgment. However,the enforcing party must file a deposit-in-courtcertificate or a surety agreement to cover damages that

enforcement may cause to the losing party. The losingparty may be required to file a counter-guarantee inseeking to preclude enforcement of the judgment; thecounter-guarantee covers damage and direct loss ofprofit that the suspension of the judgment may cause tothe prevailing party.

Setting aside final judgments

The right to request that a final and binding judgmentbe set aside was introduced into Mexico City's civilprocedure in 2004 and has been much criticized eversince. Although originally available in any one of sevensets of circumstances, it can now be sought only where:(i) the final and binding judgment was based on

evidence that was found or declared to be fraudulentafter the binding judgment was issued, or if the losingparty was unaware of such a finding or declarationbefore such a judgment was issued; or (ii) the claimantwas the victim of collusion or other fraudulent activity bythe parties.

This change is a positive step in favour of judicialcertainty and make it more likely that a future reform willabolish this controversial procedure.

Evidence

The rules on evidence have undergone major

modifications. The amendments were intended toharmonize the local civil procedure rules with the ruleson commercial proceedings in the Commercial Code.

The new rules reflect a wish to simplify and expeditethe process of presenting evidence in civil proceedings,which has been a matter of concern for many years.

Although the changes are not a complete solution, theyrepresent a step in the right direction.

Many of the specific aspects of the reform are technical,but in general the changes:

amend the rules on expert witnesses in order to

ensure a balance between the parties and toenable them to substitute an expert witnessbefore the hearing - this issue that was previously


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interpreted on precedent, but was not clarified instatute;

simplify the interrogation of witnesses of fact;

amend the characterization of documentspresented as evidence; and

introduce rules for the examination of defendantsand claimants.

Foreclosure proceedings

The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure onforeclosure proceedings have been changed in anattempt to make them simpler and fairer. In Mexico,summary proceedings are available for various causesof action - for example, to obtain the enforcement of afinal judgment and to attach or auction a debtor'sproperty.

In general, the provisions of the reform:

clarify the regime for the attachment of negotiableinstruments, debts and bank accounts;

extend the deadline to answer the claim andcounterclaims; and

allow for the commencement of enforcementproceedings immediately after the final judgmentis rendered, notwithstanding the filing of anappeal.

In certain circumstances, creditors can opt to keepattached property as partial payment. Changes to thispart of the code are intended to assist creditors inenforcing their rights; as such, they constitute anoteworthy step towards simplifying the enforcement of

judgments.

Significantly, the reform endorses mediation as analternative to litigation, providing that settlementsreached after mediation before the Centro de JusticiaAlternativa, the official mediation agency, can beenforced through summary proceedings.

Source Text:http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=a411bf28-91e7-427b-903a-c2d1f2000186
http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=a411bf28-91e7-427b-903a-c2d1f2000186http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=a411bf28-91e7-427b-903a-c2d1f2000186http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=a411bf28-91e7-427b-903a-c2d1f2000186http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=a411bf28-91e7-427b-903a-c2d1f2000186


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Exercise B

Translation Practice (Spanish-English)

Source Text Your Translation

Cmo se ha desarrollado la implementacin

de los juicios orales en materia civil y

mercantil en el DF?

La implementacin de los juicios orales, tanto

civiles como mercantiles, en esta ciudad se ha

desarrollado en 3 vertientes:

1. La de reformas al Cdigo de Comercio y al

Cdigo de Procedimientos Civiles del Distrito

Federal, a travs de las cuales se

implementaron en el sistema jurdico la

oralidad en las materias en cita, trayendo

como consecuencia un cambio sustancial en

la forma de tramitar los juicios, dado que de

tener procedimientos eminentemente

escritos con la entrada en vigor de las

reformas ahora los procedimientos son

principalmente orales, en donde la

comunicacin entre los jueces y las partes,

tanto formales como materiales, y entre

stas, es en forma verbal.

2. La implementacin de los instrumentos

necesarios para la video grabacin de las

audiencias orales, preliminar y de juicio, en

donde se busca que las audiencias ya no sereproduzcan en papel, sino en discos

magnticos que conserven la imagen y los

sonidos de lo acontecido. En la actualidad ya

se cuenta con la infraestructura para equipar

20 salas de oralidad.

3. La construccin de 20 juzgados de oralidad

y el mismo nmero de salas, para as

cumplir con los asuntos del que son

competentes los juzgados orales.

How has the implementation of civil and

mercantile oral trials been developed in

Mexico City?

The implementation of both, civil and mercantile

oral trials in Mexico City, has been developed in

three fields:


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Cmo se han estructurado los juzgadosorales, cul es la diferencia con el personal ysus responsabilidades?

Los juzgados civiles de proceso oral, que

conocen de asuntos de naturaleza civil y de

mercantil por concurrencia, se encuentran

estructurados con 10 servidores: el juez, 3

secretarios de acuerdos, un secretario actuario, 3

pasantes y 2 administrativos.

Las responsabilidades para los funcionarios en

mencin son las mismas que estn establecidas

en la Ley Orgnica del Tribunal Superior de

Justicia del Distrito Federal, siendo prudente

puntualizar que los Secretarios de Acuerdos son

los encargados de realizar los proyectos de

sentencia.

Es necesario que los litigantes se

actualicen en las tcnicas e

instrumentos que implican estos nuevos

procesos mixtos.En los juicios orales cmo se usarn y

atendern las jurisprudencias?

En los juicios orales se deben fundamentar las

resoluciones con apoyo en los criterios federales

que constituyan jurisprudencia, y por ello, si la

resolucin se dicta por escrito, ser precisamente

con la transcripcin de la tesis y la razn de su

aplicacin como se fundamenta; en tanto que en

las resoluciones verbales, su aplicacin se har

con la lectura que se realice en la audiencia de la

tesis y su proyeccin en la videograbacin

respectiva, pero siempre con la finalidad que las

partes tengan pleno conocimiento del criterio que

se est aplicando.

Cundo y cmo se aplica la supletoriedad en

el juicio oral?Los juicios orales, tanto civiles, como mercantiles,


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se encuentran regulados en los cdigos

respectivos, y en lo no previsto se deben aplicar

las reglas generales de los mismos

ordenamientos; esto es, la aplicacin

complementaria de las reglas generales a los

captulos de oralidad no debe entenderse como

supletoriedad, sino precisamente como

complemento de la misma legislacin. Sin

embargo, tratndose de juicios orales

mercantiles, al captulo respectivo se aplican

complementariamente las reglas generales del

mismo Cdigo de Comercio y slo si stas reglas

son insuficientes en su regulacin, si se aplica

supletoriamente el Cdigo Federal de

Procedimientos Civiles y en su defecto el local de

la entidad o del Distrito Federal.

Cul es el papel del Juez en la

conciliacin de las partes y hasta dnde se les

puede obligar a cumplir los acuerdos

pactados?

El Cdigo de Procedimientos Civiles en el artculo

1003, establece que durante la celebracin de la

Audiencia Preliminar, corresponde al Juez

procurar la conciliacin entre las partes,

hacindoles saber los beneficios de llegar a un

convenio, proponindoles soluciones;

establecindose igualmente que las partes no

podrn invocar, en ninguna etapa procesal,

antecedente alguno relacionado con la

proposicin, discusin, aceptacin, ni rechazo de

las propuestas de conciliacin.

En el artculo 1390 Bis 35 del Cdigo de

Comercio se incluye adems la facultad del

juzgador para actuar como mediador, que implica

un actuacin como tercero completamente

imparcial, pero auxiliando a las partes para la

construccin de un dilogo constructivo y


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conciliatorio.

La sentencia se dicta en la audiencia de

jui cio. Su material iz aci n es in med ia ta,

lo que permite que sea notificada sin

mayor formalidad.

En la prctica el Juez exhorta a las partes para

que inicien ese dilogo constructivo que les

permita exponer recprocamente su punto de vista

respecto de la problemtica que los ha llevado a

una instancia judicial; se les recuerda que en la

mayora de los casos la relacin que existe entre

ellos implica la existencia de algn antecedente

de negociacin que origin el vnculo contractual

que los liga, lo que a su vez denota que en ese

momento pasado tuvieron la capacidad de

dilogo para alcanzar un consenso, por lo que se

les invita a que recuperen por un momento esa

habilidad para dialogar de forma conciliatoria y se

propongan mutuamente alternativas de solucin a

su problema; recordndoles que el resultado deljuicio es una mera expectativa de derecho para

ambos, por lo que la celebracin de un convenio

judicial representa la ventaja de que ellos mismos

establezcan el alcance de las obligaciones a su

cargo y la forma de cumplirlas.

Source:http://www.forojuridico.org.mx/juicios-orales-civiles-y-mercantiles/
http://www.forojuridico.org.mx/juicios-orales-civiles-y-mercantiles/http://www.forojuridico.org.mx/juicios-orales-civiles-y-mercantiles/http://www.forojuridico.org.mx/juicios-orales-civiles-y-mercantiles/http://www.forojuridico.org.mx/juicios-orales-civiles-y-mercantiles/


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Exercise CWriting Practice

Write a 500-word essay

What is your professional perception of oral trials in Mexico?

Documents

Module 3. Translation Exercise