Interpreter Services

Fresno Superior Court has expanded access to interpreter services.

Interpreter Services Are Available For All Mandatory Case Types 

  • Criminal
  • Traffic
  • Juvenile Delinquency/Dependency
  • Mental Competency Hearings with Appointed Counsel

NOTE: These interpreters do not help parties fill out or file their court forms.

Interpreter Services Availability

Interpreter Services Are Available In The Priority Order Of Case Types Listed Below

  1. Protective order sought in family law domestic violence cases, in elder or dependent adult physical abuse or neglect cases, or in civil harassment cases.
  2. Unlawful detainers
  3. Termination of parental rights
  4. Conservatorship or guardianship
  5. Actions by a parent to obtain sole legal or physical custody of a child or visitation
  6. Elder/dependent adult abuse cases NOT involving physical abuse or neglect, or all other civil harassment proceedings.
  7. All other family law (i.e., family law cases not involving domestic violence, sole legal or physical custody, or visitation).
  8. All other civil cases (based on availability of interpreters)

Contact the Interpreter Coordinator at 559-457-4910 for additional information.

Interpreter Service Questions

For information on the Judicial Council, “ Strategic Plan for Language Access in the California Courts ”.

If you are involved in one of the case types listed above, you may ask the clerk at the counter or in the courtroom for an interpreter. You may also ask for an interpreter using the PNT-01(S) Interpreter Request Form ( English  /  Spanish ) at any of our Clerk’s Offices, or fill out and email this form online using the email address found on the form. It is important to notify the court as soon as possible if an interpreter is needed. If you wait until your court date, you may have to wait until an interpreter can be contacted. If an interpreter is not available at the time of your hearing, your case may be continued until an interpreter can be assigned.

The court will not provide you with an interpreter except in the case types listed above. If you need an interpreter to help you understand what is said during one of these court proceedings, you must bring a certified, registered or provisionally qualified interpreter to interpret for you. You may not bring anyone under the age of 18 to interpret for you.  For a list of qualified interpreters, please check the Judicial Council website “ Search for an Interpreter ”

The court will provide you with a sign language interpreter for any court hearing you may have. The court will also provide you with a sign language interpreter if you are called for jury duty. Please tell a clerk at the counter or in the courtroom as soon as possible if you will need a sign language interpreter. For more information on this and other Access and Accommodation needs please visit the  American with Disabilities (ADA) page  on this site.

Due to the limited resources of certified/registered interpreters statewide, the court may sometimes provide a provisionally qualified interpreter (non-certified, non-registered for the mandated areas listed above ). As a court interpreter, you will play a key role in our trial courts by interpreting for defendants, litigants and witnesses thereby helping to insure access to the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) customers. For more information on how to become a court interpreter please visit the Judicial Council website,  Interpreter Program .  Or contact the Interpreter Coordinator at 559-457-4910.

The Fresno Superior Court understands that without proper language assistance, Limited English Proficiency (LEP) court users may be excluded from meaningful participation in the judicial process.  The Courts are always searching for new solutions for these issues including more efficient use of existing resources to help improve and expand language access around the state.  To get more information on efficiencies that Fresno Superior Court has implemented to enhance language access for all LEP court users you may read our  Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan .