Required Ethics Training

Effective February 21, 2025, the Judicial Council approved revisions to the Professional Standards and Ethics for California Court Interpreters. These revisions ensure that interpreters are equipped to uphold impartiality, confidentiality, and professionalism in the evolving judicial landscape.

What’s new?

• New sections have been added on ethics for remote interpreting and ethics for social media. Also, more depth has been added to provide guidance to interpreters on how to handle real-world situations (with specific examples and best practices).
• The online “Ethics Refresher” course is now required to be taken every two years by all credentialed interpreters after an interpreter’s first two years. More information on the free ethics courses offered by the Judicial Council for interpreters can be found on the Language Access Services “Interpreter Learning Portal” webpage.

The live ethics training continues to be a requirement for all new certified and registered court interpreters to complete within their first two years of enrollment with the Court Interpreters Program, as well as for provisionally qualified interpreters under certain circumstances. The training curriculum is based on California Rules of Court, rule 2.890 Professional Conduct for Interpreters and the ethics guide, Professional Standards and Ethics for California Court Interpreters.

The training covers issues of accuracy, impartiality, confidentiality, legal advice, professional relationships, and the duty to the profession. It also provides interpreters with the opportunity to apply this instruction by way of making ethically informed decisions based on mock scenarios that interpreters might encounter inside and outside of the courtroom. Training is conducted virtually by live instructors and is free to participants. 

Please complete this online registration form to be notified of the next live ethics training. Generally, two trainings are provided each calendar year in the spring and summer.

If you have questions about these requirements, please email: courtinterpreters@jud.ca.gov and indicate Required Ethics Training Inquiry in the subject line.