No, the Courts' interpreters are not permitted to fill out forms on behalf of the parties.
No, interpretation services are provided free-of-charge.
Yes. The Office of Court Interpreting Services provides interpreters for all divisions and offices of the court. For more information regarding the Office of Court Interpreting Services please visit https://www.dccourts.gov/services/language-access-services.
Yes. If you would like a translation of a court order or other document you received from the Court, ask the clerk’s office in the division where you filed your case. The Court will provide the translation free of charge.
You can ask for an interpreter by informing the clerk’s office in the division in which your case is pending or by completing an interpreter request form online at Language Access Services. You may also submit an email request to interpreters@dcsc.gov. In your request, please include the following information: case name, case number, language requested, date and time of hearing, courtroom location, WebEx link (if applicable), estimated duration of the event, name of the person needing an interpreter, and their role in the case. You may request an interpreter for yourself, another party to the case, or for a witness who will testify in your case. Please make sure to request an interpreter as soon as you know you need an interpreter and as far in advance of your trial or hearing as possible to ensure the availability of an interpreter.
If you require CART services, please contact the ADA Coordinator's Office at ADAcoordinator@dcsc.gov.
Requests for interpreters should be submitted 4 weeks in advance of the hearing date. If the request for interpreting services is not received in a timely fashion, it is possible that an interpreter will not be available at the time needed.
No, the Courts' interpreters are not permitted to provide legal advice. To find resources to assist you in your case, please visit the clerk's office where your case was filed and they will direct you to the applicable resource center.
No, court filings must be completed and submitted in English.
No, the Courts' interpreters do not provide interpretation/translation services of evidentiary materials. You may hire your own interpreter to prepare a translation of the document/audio prior to the hearing date. A list of interpreters on the D.C. Courts Registry can be found at https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/divisionspdfs/DC_Courts_Interpreter_Registry_for_Publication.pdf.