Court Interpretation: Ensuring Every Voice Is Heard in the Justice System

Learning Objectives:

- Understanding the interpreter’s role, responsibilities, codes of conducts, and professional boundaries within the courtroom.

- Collaborate effectively with court interpreters to ensure clear, accurate, and culturally

sensitive communication with clients. Utilize effective questioning, pacing, and

communication techniques to support accurate and efficient interpretation.

- Address common challenges in family law cases involving interpreters.

- Recognize emotional, cultural, and procedural barriers and apply trauma-informed and

culturally responsive approaches when communicating with limited-English-proficient clients.

- Build awareness of how cultural values and language nuances affect family law disputes and resolution dynamics

- Manage multi-party and high-conflict situations where interpretation may become strained or inconsistent.

- Promote procedural fairness by ensuring all clients—regardless of language or income—can fully participate in legal proceedings.

Presenter biographies:

Judge Nicole Bershon was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court in 2013 by Governor Jerry Brown. She currently sits at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse where she oversees a family law home court. Judge Bershon joined the family law bench from the Second Division Court of Appeal, Division Three, where she served as a pro tem justice for six months. While there, she authored over 30 opinions, including five published decisions.

She currently serves on the Executive Board of the California Judges Association and is a Vice-President of the organization. She is also a founding board member of California Women Judges and currently serves on its Executive Board.

Marisol Ramirez is a Certified Spanish Court Interpreter with the Los Angeles Superior Court of California. Prior to working with the court, Marisol served as a Title III Analytical Linguist for federal agencies including the DEA, FBI, and ICE. Marisol holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Florida and a Master of Fine Arts from Rutgers University.

For questions, please contact volunteer@hbcfl.org.