Translation of court proceedings.

Existing law requires an interpreter to be sworn to interpret for a witness who is incapable of understanding the English language or is incapable of expressing himself or herself in the English language so as to be understood directly by counsel, court, and jury. Existing law also requires an interpreter to be present at specified family court proceedings in which a party does not proficiently speak or understand the English language to interpret and assist communications between the party and his or her attorney. Existing law requires judicial proceedings to be conducted, preserved, and published in English, but nothing in this provision prohibits a court from providing an unofficial translation of specified court orders in a language other than English. This bill would authorize a bilingual judge, notwithstanding any other law, to provide an unofficial translation of preliminary court procedures that do not bear on any substantive right of a party when a court interpreter is not immediately available.