About Interpreter Services

Interpreters are managed by Interpreter Services. Over the past eighteen years Pierce County courts have used interpreters in up to 50 languages. The law provides for interpreters to be paid at government expense in criminal matters only; for civil matters the cost shall be borne by the litigant unless the court has declared him/her indigent.

There is one full-time certified Spanish interpreter who acts also as coordinator for other languages and one half-time administrative assistant. Our aim is to provide excellent services to the court and related agencies while managing our resources efficiently.

Interpreters are on Personal Contract and called on an as-needed basis. Contract Interpreters work in many other courts and are not available with less than 48 hours' notice.

We send interpreters to Superior, District and Juvenile Courts. We also provide interpreters for District Probation, the Prosecutor's Office and the Department of Assigned Counsel (Public Defender's Office). The office acts as referral to other agencies.