Who Arranges an Interpreter at Court? HMCTS and Solicitor Responsibilities Explained
Who arranges an interpreter depends on what the interpreter is needed for. The arrangements for the hearing itself are not always the same as the arrangements for confidential solicitor-client discussions, preparation or advice before and after the hearing.
When the court or tribunal may provide an interpreter
Current GOV.UK guidance says interpreter provision depends on the type of court or tribunal, the case and the person’s role. Criminal defendants are provided with an interpreter where required. In civil and family cases, interpreter provision depends on the circumstances and the type of proceedings. Some tribunals also require the party to request an interpreter in advance.
The official guidance should be checked for the particular case: Get an interpreter at a court or tribunal.
What about discussions with the solicitor?
The interpreter made available for a hearing is not automatically a general-purpose interpreter for all legal discussions. GOV.UK states that a court interpreter will normally be available only during the hearing, although they may sometimes take part in legal discussions before or after the hearing if the judge allows it.
If a client needs language support for confidential legal advice, case preparation, a conference with counsel, a remote consultation or another appointment outside the hearing, the legal representative may need to arrange separate interpreting.
Examples where separate interpreting may be required
- Pre-hearing client conferences
- Conferences with counsel
- Post-hearing advice
- Witness preparation
- Appointments with experts or other professionals
- Telephone or video consultations
- Case-preparation meetings away from court
Defence and prosecution witnesses in criminal cases
GOV.UK distinguishes between different witness roles. A defence witness who needs an interpreter is directed to ask the defence solicitor to find one, while a prosecution witness is directed to the prosecuting agency. That makes it important to identify the person’s role before assuming HMCTS will arrange the interpreter.
What should be confirmed before booking?
- The court or tribunal and type of hearing
- The person who requires language support and their role in the case
- The language and, where relevant, dialect or regional variant
- Whether support is needed during the hearing, outside the hearing, or both
- The expected start time and duration
- Whether the appointment is face to face, telephone or video
- Any confidentiality, security or access requirements
Legal aid funding considerations
Where the solicitor is arranging separate interpreting in a legally aided matter, the funding position should be checked against the current Legal Aid Agency guidance. The LAA’s prior-authority material includes specific notes about interpreter costs and cases where an interpreter is instructed above a codified rate. For the published service figures used on this site, see our legal aid rates guide.
See the current official material here: CCMS Provider: Prior Authority.
Related interpreting services
For client meetings, conferences, assessments and case preparation, see our legal aid interpreting service. For court-connected solicitor consultations, see court interpreting for solicitor consultations.
If you need an interpreter for a client conference or related appointment, send the booking details for review.
Editorial review: Reviewed by the Legal Aid Translation Editorial Team against the official court and funding sources linked above. Last checked: 29 September 2026.
This guide provides general information only. The court, tribunal and applicable funding guidance should be checked for the individual matter.
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