Terms and Conditions
of Service

Last Updated: September 12, 2026

These Terms and Conditions govern services provided by Barrett Editing & Translation (“Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”).

By checking the required acceptance box and placing an order, approving a quote, or purchasing a service, the customer (“Client”) confirms that the Client has read, understood, and agreed to these Terms.

The Client represents that the Client is at least 18 years old and legally able to enter into this agreement. A parent or legal guardian must purchase or approve services provided to anyone under 18.

1. Services and Project Scope

We provide:

• Dissertation and thesis editing

• College-essay editing and feedback

• Spanish- and Portuguese-to-English document translation

The applicable service description, accepted written quote, and these Terms define the project. Any work outside the agreed scope requires written approval, a revised quote, and additional payment.

We may decline a project before work begins. If we do, we will refund all payments for that project.

2. Pricing and Payment

Payment is required before work begins unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Fixed translation prices apply only to standard, clearly legible documents matching the applicable website description. Additional pages, handwriting, poor image quality, unusual formatting, specialized terminology, or complex content may require a custom quote.

If a submitted document does not qualify for the selected fixed price, the Client may approve a revised quote or cancel the order and receive a full refund.

Dissertation and thesis editing is priced according to word count and editing level, with a $200 minimum per chapter.

Quotes expire after 14 calendar days unless otherwise stated. Applicable taxes, shipping charges, rush fees, or approved additional services will be disclosed before payment.

3. Client Responsibilities

The Client must provide complete, accurate, and legible materials together with all relevant instructions, deadlines, style guides, institutional policies, and receiving-agency requirements.

The Client represents that the Client owns the submitted materials or has permission to submit them for editing or translation. The Client is responsible for claims resulting from materials that the Client was not authorized to submit.

Turnaround begins after we receive payment, usable files, and all required instructions. We are not responsible for delays caused by incomplete materials, unclear instructions, Client-requested changes, third parties, technology interruptions, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

The Client must retain copies of all original documents and files submitted to us.

4. Dissertation and Thesis Editing

Editing may address grammar, punctuation, wording, clarity, consistency, academic tone, organization, structure, and presentation, depending on the purchased service level.

The Client remains the author and is solely responsible for the document’s research, arguments, facts, statistics, citations, originality, academic integrity, and final submission.

Unless specifically included in writing, editing does not include:

• Fact-checking

• Plagiarism or artificial-intelligence screening

• Citation or source verification

• Statistical analysis

• Research validation

• Legal review

• Confirmation of compliance with university requirements

We do not research or write dissertations, theses, assignments, or other academic work on the Client’s behalf. Our services may not be used to violate an institution’s academic-integrity policies.

We do not guarantee grades, graduation, committee approval, publication, professional advancement, or acceptance by any institution.

5. College-Essay Editing

College-essay services provide editing and feedback while preserving the student’s ideas, experiences, and authentic voice.

The student remains the author and is responsible for the essay’s truthfulness, originality, and final submission. We do not invent experiences, create false information, or write an admissions essay on the student’s behalf.

The Client is responsible for confirming that the applicable school, institution, or application platform permits outside editing.

We do not guarantee admission, scholarships, financial aid, placement, or any other admissions outcome.

6. Translation Services

We prepare translations from documents supplied by the Client. We do not authenticate original documents, verify the truth or legal validity of their contents, provide legal advice, complete immigration applications, or determine whether a document is sufficient for a particular legal or administrative purpose.

For translations intended for USCIS, the Certificate of Translation Accuracy will state that the English translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from the source language into English.

A certified translation is not the same as:

• A notarized translation

• An apostille

• A sworn translation

• A credential evaluation

• An ATA-certified translation

• Legal representation or immigration assistance

We do not currently provide notarization, apostille, sworn translation, or credential evaluation services.

The Client must confirm the receiving organization’s current requirements before ordering. We do not guarantee acceptance by USCIS, courts, schools, universities, licensing agencies, motor-vehicle agencies, employers, or other organizations.

7. Delivery and Original Documents

We will ordinarily deliver completed work electronically unless we agree on another method.

Arrange local pickup, local delivery, mailing, or shipping of original documents in advance. Additional charges may apply.

We will exercise reasonable care while original documents are in our possession. We are not responsible for delays, loss, or damage caused solely by an independent mail or delivery carrier, except to the extent applicable law provides otherwise.

8. Client Review and Corrections

The Client must review completed work before submitting, publishing, filing, or otherwise relying upon it.

The Client must report possible errors within 30 calendar days after delivery. We will correct our own verified errors without additional charge.

Changes to the source document, new material, changed instructions, subjective preferences outside the agreed scope, or requests for additional editing constitute new work and may require an additional fee.

This correction period does not eliminate any legal right that cannot be waived.

9. Cancellations and Refunds

The Client may cancel and receive a full refund before work begins.

After work begins, the portion of the payment reasonably attributable to completed work is nonrefundable. Any unearned balance will be refunded. A separately disclosed rush fee may become nonrefundable once rush scheduling or work has begun.

After delivery, we will not provide a refund merely because the Client changes their mind or does not receive a desired academic, admissions, immigration, legal, professional, or administrative result.

If completed work materially fails to conform to the agreed scope, we must first be given a reasonable opportunity to correct it. If correction is not reasonably possible, we may issue an appropriate partial or full refund.

Nothing in these Terms limits a consumer right that cannot legally be waived.

10. Consultations

Reschedule consultations at least 24 hours in advance. One timely rescheduling is permitted unless the purchased package states otherwise.

A missed appointment or cancellation made with less than 24 hours’ notice may be forfeited. An appointment canceled by us will be rescheduled or refunded.

11. Ownership of Completed Work

The Client retains ownership of the Client’s original materials.

After full payment, the Client may use the completed editing or translation deliverable for its intended personal, academic, professional, or legal purpose.

We retain ownership of our general templates, certification formats, workflows, checklists, business methods, and other materials not created specifically for the Client.

We will not publicly display Client materials, identify the Client, or use the project as a sample or testimonial without the Client’s written permission.

12. Confidentiality, Privacy, and File Disposal

We will use reasonable safeguards to protect Client information. Client materials will be used only to provide the requested services, communicate with the Client, process payment, maintain necessary business records, prevent fraud, or comply with legal obligations.

Necessary payment processors, scheduling platforms, website providers, email providers, and file-storage providers may process information under their own terms and privacy policies.

Working files may be permanently deleted 60 days after final delivery unless a longer period is required by law or agreed upon in writing.

Records containing personal information will be securely erased, rendered unreadable, or otherwise disposed of as required by applicable law. No electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.

13. Professional Standard and Disclaimer

We will perform the agreed services with reasonable professional care and in substantial accordance with the accepted service description or quote.

Editing and translation involve professional judgment. Differences in style or professional opinion do not necessarily constitute an error, and absolute perfection or an entirely error-free result cannot be guaranteed.

Except for the agreed services and correction obligations stated in these Terms, we make no warranty or guarantee concerning any academic, admissions, immigration, legal, governmental, financial, or professional outcome.

14. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE COMPANY WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO THE CLIENT FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR LOST-OPPORTUNITY DAMAGES ARISING FROM A PROJECT.

THE COMPANY’S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO THE CLIENT ARISING FROM A PARTICULAR PROJECT, WHETHER ASSERTED UNDER CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, OR ANOTHER LEGAL THEORY, WILL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT THE CLIENT PAID TO THE COMPANY FOR THAT PROJECT.

These limitations apply only to claims between the Client and the Company. They do not apply to fraud, willful misconduct, gross negligence, or any liability that applicable law does not permit the parties to limit.

15. Georgia Law and Dispute Resolution

Georgia law governs these Terms, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Before filing a legal claim, each party agrees to provide written notice describing the dispute and allow 30 calendar days for a good-faith attempt to resolve it.

Any legal proceeding must be brought in a court with proper jurisdiction in Forsyth County, Georgia, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

Nothing in these Terms eliminates any nonwaivable consumer protection or prevents either party from seeking relief in a court of proper jurisdiction when immediate relief is legally necessary.

16. General Terms

If any provision is found unlawful or unenforceable, it will be limited or removed only to the extent necessary. The remaining provisions will continue in effect.

Failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. A project-specific written quote controls if it directly conflicts with these Terms.

These Terms, together with the applicable service description and accepted quote, constitute the agreement concerning the project.

We may update these Terms for future orders. The version accepted when the Client places an order governs that order.

Electronic acceptance and electronic records have the same legal effect as written acceptance to the extent permitted by law.