The Courts
Court interpreters
Icelandic is used in court cases. Therefore, interpreters, translators and sign language interpreters are often called upon to serve the courts.
Duties and responsibilities of interpreters
Interpreting is done in the court room and in other cases where court interpretation is needed, including via teleconference equipment or telephone.
Interpreters maintain absolute impartiality, confidentiality and accuracy in their work.
Interpreters in court cases must be licensed to work. If an authorised court interpreter is not available, an interpreter who is not certified can be called according to the law. Occasionally, interpretation services from abroad are used, e.g. when an interpreter for a certain language cannot be found. The interpretation is then carried out via teleconferencing equipment or telephone.
Interpreters are usually called with little notice or even on the same day as the proceedings in the courtroom. How much time the interpreters have for preparation depends on the situation.
The judge ensures that the interpreter is given enough time to carry out his work.
Who calls an interpreter to the courtroom?
In criminal cases, the prosecution is responsible for calling an interpreter. In civil cases it is the lawyer. In rare cases, it is the court that calls the interpreter. Payment for the services of an interpreter is in the hands of the parties to the case, which can be the government or an individual.
Sign language interpretation
The translation of documents in court cases
Translators of documents related to court cases generally need to be authorised translators. As a general rule, a document in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation into Icelandic to the extent that a case is based on its content. If an authorised translator is not available, a translation by another qualified person may be provided.
See also