You're in a divorce case. Your spouse's threatening and abusive WhatsApp messages are the core of your evidence. Or you're defending a harassment complaint and the chat screenshots are against you. You print the screenshots, translate them yourself with Google, and hand them to your lawyer. The judge's reaction is not what you expected.

"Objection sustained. These WhatsApp chats are not admissible. Under Section 63 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, electronic evidence requires a Certificate from a competent person certifying the device's integrity. The translation is not certified, the screenshots are not authenticated, and the original device is not produced. The chats are marked as unproven."

Your strongest evidence just got thrown out. The other side's lawyer is smiling. Your case just got significantly weaker — all because of how the chats were presented. Raw screenshots without certified translation are not evidence in Indian courts.

Why WhatsApp Chat Translations Get Rejected in Court

• No BSA Section 63 Certificate: Since July 2024, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the Indian Evidence Act. Section 63 requires a signed certificate — from the person in control of the device — stating the device's integrity, how the chats were extracted, and that they haven't been tampered with. Without this certificate, no electronic evidence is admissible. Period.
• Self-Translation Not Accepted: Google Translate printouts or self-made translations carry no evidentiary value. Courts require certified translations from a competent translator with a declaration — especially when the chats are in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, or any regional language.
• Screenshots Without Original Device: Courts require the original phone to be produced or a Section 63 certificate confirming the device was in the person's control. Screenshots alone — even translated — are marked as secondary evidence and often rejected.
• Timestamps & Metadata Not Translated: The date, time, and sender names must be translated and presented in a timeline format. Missing metadata = the court can't place the messages in context = weak evidence.
• No Verification of Chat Integrity: Courts ask: "How do we know these messages weren't edited?" A certified translation must state the source (WhatsApp export file, screenshots, or device) and confirm no alterations were made — backed by the translator's and device owner's declarations.

How Certified Translation Services Makes Your Chats Court-Admissible

• Certified WhatsApp Chat Translation: Every message translated verbatim — sender, timestamp, message content, media descriptions, and status (delivered/read). Nothing summarized, nothing skipped.
• BSA Section 63 Certificate Drafting: We provide a ready-to-sign Section 63 certificate format for the device owner — the court-required declaration of device integrity and extraction method.
• Translator's Court Declaration: A signed declaration from our translator stating the translation is true and accurate, with translator credentials — the exact format courts accept.
• Timeline & Metadata Presentation: We format the translation as a court-ready timeline — date-ordered, with sender names and times — making it easy for the judge and the opposing counsel to follow.
• Urgent Case Delivery: Court hearing next week? We deliver certified chat translations within 48 hours, with the complete certificate package.

Frequently Asked Questions

Don't Let Your Strongest Evidence Get Thrown Out

Your WhatsApp messages could win your case — if the court accepts them. Don't let a $25 missing translation and certificate destroy your evidence.

Choose the translation service trusted by WHO, CBI, HDFC Bank, and thousands of Indian litigants since 2011.