Spoken Language Interpreter Complaint Report

If you believe that a court interpreter has done something wrong, you can make a complaint with the Court Interpreter Program. Please read the instructions below before sending your complaint report form to the Court Interpreter Program. When you are ready, you can fill out the complaint report form here:

Complaint Report Form
Downloadable Version of Instructions

General Information and Instructions

• Any person who knows that a court interpreter did something wrong. Please see the section "What can you report about" for a list of problems you can report.
• You must report the problem within 3 years from the date the problem occurred.

You can report a court interpreter if the interpreter:

• Was found guilty of breaking a law.
• Lied on purpose.
• Interpreted incorrectly or did not interpret everything that was said.
• Talked about confidential information they learned about while they were working.
• Did not come to a scheduled appointment without a good reason.
• Gave legal advice.
• Acted unprofessionally.
• Did not mention a conflict of interest or did not say that they knew someone who was involved in the court case.
• Did not follow the court interpreter’s Code of Professional Responsibility for Judiciary Interpreters or any other judicial department policies or procedures.

You can report an interpreter for things they did while they were interpreting, before they interpreted or after they interpreted.

Interpreters must follow the rules in the Code of Professional Responsibility for Judiciary Interpreters. You can find about that in the section, "Where Is There Information About the Code of Professional Responsibility for Judiciary Interpreters?" below.

If you do not see the problem that you want to report on the list, you can still fill out the complaint form. Please give us as much information as you can when you fill out the form.

• Think about talking to the interpreter yourself if you are comfortable talking to them about the problem. You may be able to fix the problem with them. If you talk to the interpreter by email or by letter, please save those documents.
• Think about telling court interpreter coordinator or court administrator about the problem. They may be able to solve the problem. If you need an interpreter to interpret for you with the court staff, you may need to ask for a different interpreter.

Please send the Complaint Report Form and any other supporting documents or information to:

Court Interpreter Program
Administrative Office of the Courts
PO Box 41170
Olympia, WA 98504-1170

• If you need your complaint form translated to English or if you wish to make a report over the telephone, please contact the Court Interpreter Program at Interpreters@courts.wa.gov
• or call 206-705-5279 to schedule an appointment. The Court Interpreter Program will get an interpreter to help us talk with you. Please let us know what language you speak.
  You do not have to pay for the interpreter.

• The Court Interpreter Program will look at your complaint. They may ask you for more information before deciding if they will send your complaint to the Interpreter Disciplinary Committee.
• If the Court Interpreter Program sends your complaint to the Disciplinary Committee, the Committee will look at your complaint. They may ask other people who are involved for more information. The interpreter will be informed of the complaint and about the disciplinary process. The Committee will not give your name to the interpreter unless you tell the Committee that they can.
• If the Committee decides the interpreter did nothing wrong, they will tell you. If you don’t agree with their decision, they will tell you what you can do.
• If the Committee decides the interpreter did something wrong, the Committee will have a hearing with the interpreter. The Committee may ask you to come and explain your complaint and answer questions.
After the hearing, if the Committee decides the interpreter did something wrong, the Committee may ask the full Interpreter and Language Access Commission to do something about the interpreter. The Committee may order the interpreter to take more training, take way the interpreter’s certification for short time, or take the interpreter’s certification away permanently. The Interpreter and Language Access Commission cannot fine or collect money from the interpreter to pay you for your problem with the interpreter.

You can find the interpreter Code of Professional Responsibility for Judiciary Interpreters on these websites:

• http://www.courts.wa.gov/programs_orgs/pos_interpret/index.cfm?fa=pos_interpret.display&fileName=generalRule11#gr11.2
• https://www.courts.wa.gov/programs_orgs/pos_interpret/index.cfm?fa=pos_interpret.display&fileName=policyManual/commentsOnTheCodeOfConduct

You can also contact the Court Interpreter Program at Interpreters@courts.wa.gov or 206-705-5279.

• You can find information about the Court Interpreter Disciplinary Process by calling Court Interpreter Program or downloading the process from this web address:
  https://www.courts.wa.gov/programs_orgs/pos_interpret/content/pdf/InterpDiscRules%20Final%20Apprvd%20May%202012.pdf