Services Turkish ↔ English
Court and tribunal interpreting
Turkish interpreters for solicitors and parties in court, tribunal and police-station work: conferences with counsel, witness proofing, private hearings, mediation and immigration appeals. Remote by default, in person in London subject to availability, with qualifications confirmed in writing.
Who books the interpreter in a UK court
In criminal proceedings, and in many family and tribunal hearings, the court itself provides the interpreter through its contracted language-services supplier; parties do not bring their own for the hearing. In civil and most private family matters the party who needs an interpreter arranges one. Outside the hearing room, solicitors book interpreters for everything else: taking instructions, conferences with counsel, proofing witnesses, expert meetings, mediation, and consultations at the police station alongside the interpreter the police have called. That is where we come in. If you are unsure who should book, tell us the court and the type of hearing and we will say what we know; the court’s own listing office is the final word.
Settings we staff
- Family court: private law children cases, financial remedy, domestic abuse injunctions, and conferences in cases involving Turkish orders or evidence.
- Immigration and asylum: First-tier Tribunal appeal preparation, solicitor interviews, expert-report interviews, statement taking.
- Civil courts and employment tribunals: hearings where the party arranges interpretation, witness proofing, mediation.
- Police stations: private consultation between solicitor and client, voluntary interviews where the solicitor brings an interpreter.
- Prisons and detention centres: legal visits, subject to the establishment’s booking rules.
- Turkish proceedings from the UK: interpreting for a witness or party giving evidence by video link to a Turkish court, and interpreting at meetings with Turkish lawyers.
Qualifications
Court work requires interpreters trained in legal procedure and bound by a code of conduct. We book interpreters who hold the qualification or registration the instructing solicitor or the court specifies, such as the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (law option) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters, and we send the interpreter’s name and credentials in writing before the assignment so they can be checked. Interpreters do not advise, do not summarise unless asked to, and interpret everything said, including remarks the speaker did not intend for the record; we brief clients who are new to working with an interpreter on this before the first session.
Remote or in person
Conferences, statement taking and most preparation work are done well by video, and courts increasingly allow remote interpretation at hearings on application. Remote bookings can usually be confirmed within a working day. In-person attendance in London is arranged subject to availability; elsewhere in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland by arrangement with more notice. We do not have an office in London; the interpreter meets you at the court, chambers or police station.
What it costs
Remote interpreting is from £45 per hour with a one-hour minimum. In-person legal assignments are charged by the half day or day, plus travel time and expenses agreed at booking, with a minimum of three hours in London. Waiting time at court is charged at the hourly rate. Cancellation within two working days of an in-person booking is charged in full because the interpreter has kept the day free; remote bookings carry a shorter notice period. Legal aid rates: tell us at booking if the matter is publicly funded and we will say whether we can work within the codified rate. No UK VAT is charged. Firms are invoiced on account with a matter reference.
Working with our translation service
Court files usually contain documents as well as speech. The same team that interprets can be given the certified translations of the bundle in advance, so terminology in the hearing matches the documents. Recordings and voice notes are transcribed and translated by our transcription service. For Turkish court documents in family cases see Turkish court documents for the UK family court.
Kurdish
Kurmanji and Sorani interpreters are arranged on the same basis, with the caveat that the pool is smaller and in-person availability needs more notice.
What you receive
- Interpreter with the legal qualification or registration your instruction specifies, credentials sent in advance
- Remote interpretation by video or telephone, or in-person attendance in London subject to availability
- Briefing for clients new to working with an interpreter
- Timesheet showing interpreting, waiting and travel time
- Coordination with certified translation of the bundle
Frequently asked questions
Can you provide the interpreter for my criminal trial?
The court provides the interpreter for criminal hearings through its contracted supplier. We can provide one for your consultations with your solicitor and for police-station attendance where the solicitor books privately.
Will the court accept a remotely interpreted hearing?
Many courts allow it on application, particularly for short hearings. Your solicitor applies; we provide the interpreter on the court’s video platform or by telephone.
Are your interpreters on the NRPSI?
We book NRPSI-registered interpreters where the instruction requires it and send the registration number in advance. Where a different qualification is acceptable we say which one the interpreter holds.
Can the interpreter also translate the documents in the case?
Document translation is done by our translation team and certified separately. The interpreter is given the certified translations before the hearing so that terms are consistent.
Do you cover legal aid rates?
Sometimes. Tell us the funding basis at booking and we will confirm whether we can work at the codified rate for that assignment.