From Sunrider Corp. v. Bountiful Biotech Corp., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 117347 (C.D. Cal. Oct. 8, 2010):

"Witness testimony translated from a foreign language must be properly authenticated and any interpretation must be shown to be an accurate translation done by a competent translator." Jack v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 854 F. Supp. 654, 659 (N.D. Cal. 1994) (citing Fed. R. Evid. 604 ["An interpreter is subject to the provisions of these rules relating to qualification as an expert and the administration of an oath or affirmation to make a true translation."] and 901 [Rule 901 (a): "The requirement of authentication of identification as a condition precedent to admissibility is satisfied by evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent claims"; Rule 901(b) provides a non-exclusive list of examples of authentication that comply with the rule]). In Jack, the court held that English-language translations of signed foreign-language affidavits were inadmissible, even though the offering party submitted a certification by an individual at a local translation center that the translations were "true and correct," because the certification was

not a sworn statement, does not describe the maker's qualification or expertise regarding language translation, does not state whether the maker did the translations, and does not explain the circumstances under which the affiants signed the affidavits in two languages (e.g., whether the affiants were advised of the content of the English-language affidavits before signing them).

Jack, 854 F. Supp. at 659; see also Fonseca v. Hall, 568 F. Supp. 2d 1110, 1125 (C.D. Cal. 2008) (holding that English-language translations of Spanish-language declarations were inadmissible because "the translations are not by certified interpreters, or any identified person; thus, they are not properly authenticated and, as such, are inadmissible")***; cf. Rosario-Guerrro v. Orange Blossom Harvesting, 265 F.R.D. 619, 623-624 (M.D. Fla. 2010) (overruling objections to the admissibility of declarations translated from Spanish to English offered in support of class certification where the interpreter filed a declaration stating that he was bilingual in Spanish and English, had served as an interpreter in workers' compensation hearings, translated the declarations word-for-word from English to Spanish, read the declarations in Spanish to each declarant, who in turn confirmed to him that the information in the declaration was true and executed the English language version of the declaration).

Annie Wu's declaration states that it is based on "personal knowledge." The declaration also states that her English was limited, that she had spoken in Mandarin Chinese to Chen's counsel Hsueh, and she understood and agreed with the content of her declaration based on the "translation and explanation" of its content provided to her. During the hearing on this motion, Chen's counsel represented that "a full translation of the declaration" had been prepared in Chinese for Annie Wu "so she understands what was stated in the declaration, to the extent that there's technical stuff in there she doesn't understand." *** In response to the Court's questions, Chen's counsel said that the translation had been prepared by an unnamed assistant in his office who was not a certified translator. Chen's counsel represented to the Court that the English-language version of Annie Wu's declaration was accurate. The Court responded: "I need proof. I don't need representations by counsel in court. I need facts and evidence on which I can rely." *** Chen's counsel offered to file the Chinese-language translation in court, but he made no attempt to do so after the hearing was concluded.

There is no evidence that either Hsueh or the office assistant whom he said prepared a Chinese-language translation of the declaration are competent translators. There is no evidence that Annie Wu's declaration was translated from English into Mandarin Chinese word-for-word, or accurately and completely. There is no Chinese-language version of her declaration in the record which plaintiffs could read or translate into English if they wished to test the accuracy of Annie Wu's declaration in English. Accordingly, the English-language translation of her testimony lacks foundation and is inadmissible. Plaintiffs' objection to Annie Wu's declaration pursuant to Rule 901 is sustained.