Mar 5, 2021 12:16
3 yrs ago
86 viewers *
French term

procès-verbal d’ouverture et de description

French to English Law/Patents Law (general) Estate planning
When someone drafted their will a few years ago, his solicitor filed the will 'suivant *procès-verbal d’ouverture et de description* en date du xxx'. I'm considering leaving the French as-is and including something along the lines of 'certificate recording the drafting and content of the will (or 'content of the estate' maybe)' but wonder whether there is a specific legal term for this document in English. Thanks in advance if you're able to help me!
Sarah

Discussion

Nikki Scott-Despaigne Mar 5, 2021:
Note 2 See Reference post. I'm certain that once you have considered what is covered by the terms "ouverture" and "description" from these sources, you will find a suitable way of phrasing the French text you have in the context of your source text. ;-)
Nikki Scott-Despaigne Mar 5, 2021:
Note 1 I'm with Allegro on this one. I would not leave this in French. Were this mine, I'd probably shy away from "content of the estate". That is not what a will sets out. The primary aim of a will in the UK or in France is set out the wishes of the testator with regards to what he owns (or thinks he owns). Obviously the context of the testator's estate is included but considering people bequeath (acceidentally or otherwise) stuff that is not theirs and/or omit (again, willfully or otherwise) stuff that is theirs, then to say that a will boils down to a "context of the estate" is, in my view, erroneous. Besides, in the UK and in France, I believe, there is a name for this list of what the person owns. I can't for the life of me remember, but it is findable. Anyway, returning to the question in point... the "notaire" (a term I would be likley to keep in French, or use "notaire", not "solicitor" as there is not sufficient overlap) filed a will "suivant PV d'ouverture et de descrption en date du XX/XX/XXXX...". This source may help: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F770 for (current) procedure. This too: assishttps://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/testament
AllegroTrans Mar 5, 2021:
Asker I wonder whether there is a specific legal term for this document in English - well no, because the procedure in France is very diffrenent to the procedure in UK. In France, a notary takes charge of the legalities whereas in the UK the will is proved through the Probate Registry. However, I don't think leaving this in French is a good idea.

Proposed translations

+1
8 hrs
Selected

Record of opening and description (of will)

A notarised document in effect
I have translated many of these
Peer comment(s):

agree Eliza Hall : Yep. Wills are sealed and signed by a notary attorney before the death, and after the death, they're opened by a notary-attorney: https://notairesdugrandparis.fr/fr/le-reglement-de-la-succes...
1 day 19 hrs
Yes, but sometimes the relatives are the first to open the will if it hasn't been deposited with a notary, but this notarised record is still drawn up
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to help me with this"
-1
1 hr

Filing and inventory

Just a suggestion
Peer comment(s):

disagree AllegroTrans : Neither "filing" or "inventory" appear in the Fr term
7 hrs
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-1
2 hrs

Record of the opening of a Will and Affidavit of Condition

It is not a probate - Scots: confirmation - process as such, but a report on the 'ceremony' : See Nikki S-D's ref. and usually in Continental European countries, though the Swiss German 'opening' term of Eröffnung does double as notification - of a Notary Public opening and reading-out of the contents of the Will in the presence of prospective beneficiaries and heirs-at-law.

UK Family Solicitors - or Barristers, Legal Executives and sometimes banks' legal departments - used to summon the next-of-kin to a similar ceremony, but all those I know couldn't be bothered or fear a blazing row breaking out amongst disappointed beneficiaries: read today's Daily Mail on Line.

My only 'probate caveat' is to advise against use of the term of 'publication' for ouverture as publication of a Will does not mean even what the UK Government probate website intends such to mean. Rather, it is the act of the testator or testatrix showing or 'revealing' his or her Will to witnesses.
Example sentence:

ENG Common Law: Finding someone who can give such evidence may not be an easy task. Furthermore, the Court will require this evidence in Affidavit form; commonly known as an Affidavit of Plight and Condition.

Peer comment(s):

disagree AllegroTrans : Not an affidavit but a notarised instrument; "condition" is overtranslation (even if implied) and anglocentralism (we have a PM who is obsessed with the latter)
5 hrs
Asker's question: '...wonder whether there is a specific legal term for this document in English. ' An Affidavit of Plight, Condition + Oz: Finding would backdate to the opening of the Will, and it's an affidavit rather than an 'affidavt'.
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Reference comments

49 mins
Reference:

What is an "ouverture et description" of a will/testament?

https://www.dossierfamilial.com/famille/succession/ouvrir-un...

"Les formalités d’ouverture du testament
Le notaire, lui, n’attend pas cette réunion pour agir. Dès qu’il est informé du décès et qu’il a le testament entre les mains, il l’ouvre et consigne dans un procès-verbal son contenu, son apparence, les circonstances dans lesquelles il lui est parvenu… Il est tenu de conserver ce procès-verbal dans ses archives avec l’original du testament et d’adresser dans le mois qui suit une copie de celui-ci ainsi que du testament au tribunal judiciaire du lieu d’ouverture de la succession (article 1007 du Code civil).

L’ouverture et la description d’un testament olographe est facturée 26,92 € (hors TVA). A partir du 1er janvier 2021, le tarif passe à 26,41 € (hors TVA). L’ouverture d’un testament authentique n’entraîne pas de frais dans la mesure où il a été rédigé par le notaire. Il faudra par la suite ajouter les frais de notaire à régler lors d’une succession. Les prix varient selon les prestations réalisées (acte de notoriété, inventaire, attestation de propriété, etc.)."


https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/article_lc/LEGIARTI00003...

"Article 1007
Modifié par Ordonnance n°2019-964 du 18 septembre 2019 - art. 35 (VD)
Tout testament olographe ou mystique sera, avant d'être mis à exécution, déposé entre les mains d'un notaire. Le testament sera ouvert s'il est cacheté. Le notaire dressera sur-le-champ procès-verbal de l'ouverture et de l'état du testament, en précisant les circonstances du dépôt. Dans le cas prévu à l'article 1006, le notaire vérifiera les conditions de la saisine du légataire au regard du caractère universel de sa vocation et de l'absence d'héritiers réservataires. Il portera mention de ces vérifications sur le procès-verbal. Le testament ainsi que le procès-verbal seront conservés au rang des minutes du dépositaire.

Dans le mois qui suivra la date du procès-verbal, le notaire adressera une expédition de celui-ci et une copie figurée du testament au greffier du tribunal judiciaire du lieu d'ouverture de la succession, qui lui accusera réception de ces documents et les conservera au rang de ses minutes.

Dans le mois suivant cette réception, tout intéressé pourra s'opposer à l'exercice de ses droits par le légataire universel saisi de plein droit en vertu du même article 1006. En cas d'opposition, ce légataire se fera envoyer en possession. Les modalités d'application du présent alinéa sont déterminées par décret en Conseil d'Etat.


Conformément à l'article 36 de l'ordonnance n° 2019-964 du 18 septembre 2019, ces dispositions entrent en vigueur au 1er janvier 2020."
Peer comments on this reference comment:

agree AllegroTrans : Yes, essential research for any translator new to this kind of document
8 hrs
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