An Interpreter In Court
Fla. Stat. 90.606 — an interpreter for a witness who cannot hear, understand, or be understood
Florida's rule sits in the Evidence Code and is written around the witness: when a judge determines that a witness cannot hear or understand English, or cannot express themselves in English well enough to be understood, a duly qualified interpreter is sworn to interpret for the witness.
It is not only about speaking another language. The section is not limited to people who speak a language other than English. It applies also to the language and descriptions of anyone, such as a child or a person who is mentally or developmentally disabled, who cannot be reasonably understood, or who cannot understand questioning, without an interpreter.
The oath. The interpreter swears to make a true interpretation of the questions asked and the answers given, and a true translation into English of any writing the interpreter is required to decipher or translate. An interpreter or translator is subject to all the provisions of the Evidence Code relating to witnesses.
Court rules on interpreter certification, scheduling, and the interpreter's code of conduct sit alongside the statute and are not on this page. Whether a particular proceeding was interpreted adequately, and what follows if it was not, are questions for a licensed Florida attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Fla. Stat. 90.606 — Interpreters and translators
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Florida attorney.