Court Interpreter in Criminal Proceedings

Abstract

Court interpreter plays a specific and important role, which is often underestimated in criminal proceedings. One of human rights’ aspects deals with ensuring a high-quality translation in order to make the procedure available for a person, who does not understand the proceedings language, ensure one’s rights and administer justice. The aim of the study is to find out the legal ground of court interpreter’s activity in criminal proceedings, to reveal and analyse related issues. In the article, the authors reveal topical issues linked to legal regulation concerning court interpreters and offer solutions. Namely, to ensure efficiency of court interpreter’s work, a judge should create as beneficial working conditions for an interpreter as possible, make breaks every 2 hours during court hearings, speakers (judges, prosecutors, lawyers, specialists, experts) should be trained in the field of public speech and how to work with an interpreter as well as court rooms should be ensured with modern interpreting equipment. In order to introduce single practice and deliver highquality translations in Latvian courts, there is a need in development of training and certification system for court interpreters and a special normative act regulating the legal activity of court interpreters, what would be a good basis for elaboration of court interpreters’ register.