This study is based on a hypothetical situation in which the translator must render Irish divorce proceedings to the Spanish judiciary. Decision-making in legal translation is directly influenced by many factors. The effect and scope of those factors will be analysed, i. e. functions of legal documents and their translations, the legal and chronological frameworks, their target receiver and, in this case, the constraints of a sworn translation according to Spanish law. A functional approach proves useful, as the legal effect is one of the most influential factors. Establishing a text typology will help compare the level of procedural asymmetry between both legal systems. Documents themselves are regarded as translation units, in order to promote their adequate identification and interpretation in the target context.