# Pour servir et valoir ce que de droit



## Nicky55

*Moderator note:* multiple threads merged to create this one

I'm having trouble translating this legal phrase. Can anyone help please?

Many thanks


----------



## Aupick

A suggestion: *with all advantages thereto pertaining*
[...]
But I'm far from being an expert in the law, and the context might be different.


----------



## Agnès E.

I remember that we used *to whom it may concern*, but I don't know at what extent this can be used in every situation.


----------



## Jean-Michel Carrère

This is indeed what features on some certificates and diplomas in the UK, with, as far as I can see, a roughly equivalent meaning.


----------



## jimreilly

I am translating an affidavit to aid an African friend seeking political refugee status. The affidavit closes with the following phrase, and my French is not up to this polite legalese:

En foi de quoi la présente attestation lui est delivrée pour servir et valoir ce que de droit.

If you can help me I would be grateful, and my friend even more so! Merci d'avance---


----------



## Loki

Tough one, even for most of French speaking people (I'm quite unsure of the origin and exact meaning)
let's say :  "with all advantages thereto pertaining", as at the end of some contracts.
Does it helps ?


----------



## jimreilly

Ou, ça m'aide, Loki (du nom Icelandais!), merci beaucoup!


----------



## Grahamlekiwi

With a background in law, I must admit that I have never seen any of those English translations (of "faire valoir ce que de droit") at the end of a legal document. Eg, "to whom it may concern" is generally only used at the beginning of the document. Otherwise, a French lawyer suggested that its true meaning is that you can only use the document for the purpose for which it was created, ie, not for another purpose. Which gets us back to the first suggestion, above, ie, "with all advantages thereto pertaining". I remain confused.


----------



## adomi

Grahamlekiwi said:
			
		

> "to whom it may concern" is generally only used at the beginning of the document.


 I'm not a Native English Speaker, but what Graham just said is what I too usually see  at the *beginning* of the document, and we translate it as "Pour faire valoir ce que de droit". My question is oes the position matter?


----------



## Agnès E.

Actually, I've always seen what we call in French _attestations_ entitled TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, this title being followed by the content of the said _attestation_. As Graham stated, _attestations_ are to be used for a specific purpose and occasion only.


----------



## Grahamlekiwi

An "attestation" is an unsworn, but formal, statement, ie, what we would call a declaration. The "faire valoir" phrase (it seems to come in long and shorter forms) seems to indicate Agnes E's "specific purpose and occasion only", ie, that the following or preceding words are intended to have legal effect. (Someone else used "in witness whereof" as a translation at the end of a document, but I don't think that is right as witnesses aren't involved in a declaration - I've also seen the "faire valoir" phrase at the end of a contract.) Maybe there are two translations ?? - "to whom ..." where used preceding text and "with all advantages ... " where following.  (ie, "to whom" seems to suggest something coming next). Isn't there a French lawyer out there somewhere watching this exchange?


----------



## judkinsc

"With all rights and priviledges pertaining thereto." perhaps?


"En foi de quoi la présente attestation lui est delivrée pour servir et valoir ce que de droit."

"In faith of which the present attestation is delivered to him with all rights and priviledges pertaining thereto."

Or no?


----------



## Gil

AMHA.  
«À qui de droit» is used at the beginning of a document
« En foi de quoi la présente attestation lui est delivrée pour servir et valoir ce que de droit.» cannot be used at the beginning of a documennt.


----------



## Gil

Judkinsc is pretty close.



> Cette attestation est délivrée à __________________________________ sur sa demande pour servir et valoir ce que de droit.
> 
> La banque s'engage à virer régulièrement les sommes indiquées ci-dessus.
> 
> N.B. Le porteur de cette attestation autorise l'Ambassade du Canada à vérifier ces informations auprès de la banque émettrice.





> This certificate is issued to __________________________________ at his/her request with all advantages thereto pertaining.
> 
> The bank undertakes to transfer regularly the amounts indicated above.
> 
> N.B. The bearer of this certificate authorizes the Canadian Embassy to verify this information with the issuing bank.


Source:  There
Je n'aime pas trop le passage «sur sa demande» qui devrait être «à sa demande».  La perfection attendra...


----------



## judkinsc

"With all rights and priviledges pertaining thereunto." is fairly standard for legalese documents.

Just my two cents.


----------



## zam

A classic in law...but not an easy one nonetheless ! There are several possibilities. I'd say: 
'the present attestation is issued for all legal intents and purposes.' 
(or 'for all lawful purposes'). 
EuroDicAutom offers: 'with all advantages thereto pertaining', which is 
fine as well here.


----------



## jimreilly

> A classic in law...but not an easy one nonetheless ! There are several possibilities. I'd say:
> 'the present attestation is issued for all legal intents and purposes.'
> (or 'for all lawful purposes').


EuroDicAutom offers: 'with all advantages thereto pertaining', which is 
fine as well here.

Well, a lot of work has gone into my question, and I appreciate the work involved from all parties. You folks are great! Merci beaucoup!


----------



## nmontrose

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN is the equivalent of A QUI DE DROIT when issuing a certificate (a salutation indicating the unknown status of the addressee)...

Should not be confused with the closing:  "This certificate is issued to serve and avail for all legal intents and purposes."

I hope this clears all misunderstandings and confusion.


----------



## C. E. Whitehead

Hi, I go with the person from Michigan--stay as literal as possible as you are not interpreting; the phrase "servir et valoir ce que de droit" is common on French documents; but since this legal document is a bit different than a U.S. document, you can just render it literally and let that be interpreted by the courts; you can't translate it into an 'equivalent' U.S. legal document --

"En foi de quoi la présente attestation lui est delivrée pour servir et valoir ce que de droit."

"In faith of which the present attestation [alternately the attestation in question] is delivered to him with all rights and priviledges pertaining thereto."

--CEW


----------



## C. E. Whitehead

Hi, it's just a formulaic closing; I have seen it on a couple of French documents.
'En foi' is 'in faith';
'de quoi' is of which (that is 'of which has been said just before');
l'a présente attestation' is the certificate in question, the certificate before you (in this case the legal document);
'pour' is for (if it is followed by a verb, the verb must be an infinitive);
'valoir' is to be worth, to be valued for; 
'servir' is to be used ('servir à' is to be used for);
'lui est delivrée' means 'is given to him' (lui is him; delivrée is a feminine participle because it refers back to the attestation; that's what is given to him);
'ce', that
'que' is what, which.
'de droit' is by rights or by law--something like that, something formulaic!

Make sure you translate the rest faithfully.


----------



## C. E. Whitehead

Hi, again.  I am now having to translate this phrase myself.  Looking at it again, I see that it must be a formulaic closing that might be used to protect the document creator/deliverer from lawsuits should the document be misused;
so it seems that the advice Graham L. got from the French lawyer was correct:
"a French lawyer suggested that its true meaning is that you can only use the document for the purpose for which it was created, ie, not for another purpose."

"to be used as fit"
"to be used appropriately"

would work here but would not be legalese!  I like the first of these in English.


----------



## Broff

I have to translate the following sentence at the end of an official document:

En foi de quoi, la présente attestation lui est délivrée pour servir et valoir ce que de droit.

I translated it as:

_On the basis of which the present attestation has therefore been awarded (or delivered?) to him to serve (as what entitled???)_ ...


----------



## xtrasystole

Broff said:


> ... pour servir et valoir ce que de droit


_'... for the appropriate legal purposes'_.


----------



## Gil

...with all advantages thereto pertaining

[...]


----------



## bh7

Based on the earlier thread, in particular Gil's suggestions:

_On the basis of which the present attestation has been delivered to him to serve and avail [be used] for any rightful purpose._


----------



## lajoiedetomber

Hi, I was wondering how to translate the expression "pour servir et valoir ce que de droit" into English. Is it something like, "to serve in its own right"? Here is the full sentence for context: 

Le present document est etabli a la demande de [nom], pour servir et valoir ce que de droit". 

Merci!


----------



## wildan1

It means that the document is valid for anything that it is valid for!

It's a stock phrase in official French documents that we don't really use in English. You don't really need to translate it--it makes no sense in English.


----------



## lajoiedetomber

Thank you!


----------



## Nicomon

Hello and welcome to the forums

[...]

_For all legal intents and purposes_ would be my choice.


----------



## Gerard Samuel

I suggest:

To be validly used for all lawful purposes.


----------

