Did you know you can draft any legal document in Catalan with just one click?

PalmThe Catalan Bar Council, with the support of the Balearic Islands Institute of Studies of the Balearic Islands Government, the Balearic Islands Bar Association, the University of the Balearic Islands, and the Balearic Cultural Foundation, has strengthened the presence and quality of legal resources in Catalan related to the islands within the Compendium portal this year. This free and open tool has become a benchmark for legal professionals, government officials, and businesses who work in Catalan and want to do so safely, rigorously, and with up-to-date regulations.

The work carried out during 2025 has had a clear Balearic accent and has enabled the development of new specific forms, the assignment of Catalan legislation to each document, and the dissemination of Balearic legal terminology through linguistic notes prepared by specialists from the islands. In total, a series of actions have been promoted to encourage the use of legal Catalan in the islands and enhance their own civil law.

New legal forms and model revision

Three new form packages have been created:

• Insurance forms, to promote Catalan in a highly technical and often Spanish-dominated sector.
• Commercial law forms to facilitate the work of law firms, companies, and consultancies.
• And, in particular, the forms on cohabitation, inheritance, leases, and women's rights prepared by specialist lawyer Francesca Llodrà, which provide high-quality, unprecedented models for family and inheritance matters within Balearic law.

Furthermore, all existing Balearic legal forms have been reviewed to ensure their validity and terminological suitability, reinforcing their value as a practical tool for practicing law.

Catalan legislation related to forms

To enhance consultation and knowledge of the regulations, each form relating to the civil law of the Balearic Islands now includes a direct link to the applicable law in Catalan. This initiative allows lawyers, legal experts, and citizens to work with legal texts in their own language and contributes to standardizing their use within the legal field.

Balearic terminology, living heritage of law

Another notable action has been the dissemination of Balearic legal terminology, with the aim of vindicating the linguistic and conceptual richness of the islands' law and promoting reflection on the relationship between language, law, and culture.

Linguist Maria Gené Gil, a specialist in legal language, has prepared four new linguistic notes on the institutions of Majorcan and Ibizan regional law:

1. The stockings, the master and the lord
2. Why is the institution of Mallorcan definition called that? Does it have anything to do with the Pitiusan definition?
3. The hatred of Majorcan regional law: a false intralinguistic friend
4. The residence in Majorcan regional law: more than just a residence

These texts, available on Compendium.cat, combine dissemination and rigor, and help to make the historical and cultural legacy of the Balearic Islands' own law more visible.

The use of Catalan in justice, a right to be guaranteed

The project is part of the commitment of the Catalan Bar Council and the Balearic entities that collaborate to promote the linguistic rights of citizens and professionals. Using Catalan in legal and administrative relations is not just a matter of preference; it is a recognized right that contributes to a more equal, accessible, and understandable justice system.

In the Balearic Islands, where Catalan is the official language, the regular use of Catalan in courts and legal proceedings remains a challenge. Initiatives such as Compendium.cat, which aligns with the objectives of the Institute of Balearic Studies' "Justice, also in Catalan" campaign, provide concrete tools—forms, templates, terminology, and legislation—to ensure that the language is a natural vehicle for the exercise of law, not an obstacle.

A portal at the service of language and justice

Compendium.cat is a free online portal promoted by the Catalan Bar Council that brings together more than a thousand resources on legal and administrative language in Catalan, from Andorra, the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and Northern Catalonia.

Its objective is to facilitate the correct and secure use of Catalan in the drafting of legal, administrative, and business documents, while guaranteeing citizens' right to be served in their own language in all areas of the justice system.

Compendium.cat offers more than 500 legal forms, 400 language notes, 30 dictionaries, and 71 style manuals. The portal is a living, growing space, with new additions and updates that reflect the evolution of law and language.

Compendium.cat is accessible from any device and allows you to subscribe to receive updates. With more than 1,000 resources available, the portal is constantly updated and is already preparing new additions of Balearic law forms for 2026.

Round table on October 17

On Friday, October 17th, at 6 p.m., a roundtable discussion entitled "The Catalan Language and Linguistic Rights in the Justice Administration of the Balearic Islands" will take place in Ca n'Alcover (Palma). The event, organized by the Balearic Cultural Work and the Catalan Bar Council, will address the current situation regarding the use of Catalan in the judicial system and reflect on the linguistic rights of citizens when interacting with the justice administration. Tools will also be disseminated to professionals so they can practice in Catalan, including the Compendium.cat website.

The initiative is specifically aimed at legal professionals working in the Balearic Islands—lawyers, judges, prosecutors, solicitors, and judicial administration personnel—as well as linguists working in the legal and administrative field and anyone interested in the defense and promotion of language rights.

The event is supported by the Institute of Balearic Studies, the Faculty of Law of the University of the Balearic Islands, and the Bar Association of the Balearic Islands.

Discover all the resources at www.compendium.cat