NCTJ Court Reporting Practice Exam

The role of a court interpreter in a trial is primarily to provide translation services for effective communication between the non-English speaking party and the court. This function is crucial to ensure that all parties involved in the trial can understand the proceedings, dialogue, and testimony being presented. The interpreter must convey everything accurately and impartially without adding their own opinions or biases. Their primary responsibility is to facilitate communication so that the non-English speaking individual receives a fair trial and can participate fully in the legal process.

In contrast, advocating for a non-English speaking party would place the interpreter in an inappropriate position, where their neutrality is compromised. Serving as a witness is outside the scope of a court interpreter's function as they are not meant to provide testimony or participate as a party in the case. Advising on legal matters would also overstep their professional boundaries since interpreters are not trained to provide legal advice. Their expertise lies solely in language translation, making the provision of translation services the most accurate description of their role in a trial.