UK Court Trials Delayed by Interpreter No-Shows: What Defendants and Witnesses Need to Know

When the trial of former Labour MP Luciana Berger was delayed in June 2026 because a court interpreter did not attend, it brought a persistent problem back into view. Hearings postponed for want of an interpreter are not rare in the UK, and the knock-on consequences extend well beyond the individuals directly involved.

Why courts require interpreters

Criminal courts in England and Wales must ensure that defendants, witnesses and victims who do not speak English can participate fully in proceedings. Directive 2010/64 on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings remains on the UK statute book. It establishes that an accused person must be able to understand what is said in court and communicate with their legal representative, with interpretation provided at no personal cost.

When an interpreter does not appear, the court cannot simply proceed. The case is adjourned to a later date, which may be weeks or months away.

The cost of adjournments to defendants and the system

Adjournments compound delays that are already significant. Criminal court statistics published by the Ministry of Justice for October to December 2025 confirm that Crown Court waiting lists remain a serious pressure on the justice system. Every postponed hearing pushes other cases further back.

For a defendant on remand, an adjournment means more time in custody before a verdict is reached. For victims and witnesses, it often means returning to court much later and reliving events they had hoped to put behind them. For legal teams, it means rescheduling, rebooking expert witnesses, and absorbing costs that were not planned for.

Who needs a court interpreter and who arranges one

Interpreters are most commonly required when:

• A defendant does not speak English well enough to follow proceedings or give instructions to their lawyer
• A witness is giving evidence in their native language
• A victim needs to understand and participate in a hearing

For criminal court proceedings, the court itself arranges interpreters through approved providers. If you, a family member or a client requires an interpreter, notify the court as early as possible and confirm in advance that one has been booked and confirmed. Do not assume attendance is guaranteed without checking.

The same care applies to immigration and asylum tribunal hearings. Tribunal statistics for January to March 2026, published by the Ministry of Justice in June 2026, show that the Immigration and Asylum Chamber remains the UK's busiest tribunal by volume. Delays there have serious consequences for applicants waiting on decisions about their status.

Court interpreters and document translators: two different roles

A court interpreter converts spoken language in real time so that someone can follow and participate in a live hearing. They do not translate documents.

If your case involves foreign-language documents, such as contracts, official correspondence, witness statements written abroad, or identity documents, those require a separate written translation. For court use, this will typically need to be a certified translation: a document that includes a signed declaration from the translator confirming it is complete and accurate, along with their name and professional credentials.

Certified translations for court and tribunal proceedings must be ordered separately and planned in advance. Courts and tribunals will not normally accept uncertified translations, and a last-minute request is rarely practical.

What to do if you need certified translation for court or tribunal

If your case involves foreign-language documents, identify which ones need translation as early as possible in proceedings. Check with your legal representative which documents must be submitted and in what form.

Our team at Lingo Service provides certified translations for court and tribunal submissions across more than 200 languages. Each translation includes a signed certificate of accuracy prepared by a qualified professional.

Get a quote for court document translation at [lingoservice.com/services/certified-translation](https://lingoservice.com/services/certified-translation)

Sources

• Luciana Berger burglary trial delayed over interpreter absence, MSN, 18 June 2026: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi9wFBVV95cUxQQ052Q2F1bUw0RUVpcGE3SFZQSVg5bl9ZVFJqdGdWQ1JsV2Jabm9JcEJ6RmFzVnNQR1UzanBNWjVZZmdPbW8zNmlhWWhRajZpT0hiTmZyaGRjQ19SRkZsRndnbTVER0NTZU4xVk5UbDNtTUlQWXRpbXVwaE02Mi1FMGZqaXRDYk8tR1VaYkZJSE9CNWlDeTY4blpUaTJQUVJUZVRyakpGWGNZVkxKUS1kOHFrcWpsWTYxbkRrZW04cFk3WDREM241ZnE2aG51TGtqcDdhWDVjRWxzSGQ2bWpjNVNic0ZLNGp3LXRHaEhXSmlGVFlZOWRB
• Criminal court statistics quarterly: October to December 2025, Ministry of Justice: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2025
• Tribunals statistics quarterly: January to March 2026, Ministry of Justice: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2026
• Directive 2010/64/EU on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings (legislation.gov.uk): http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/eudr/2010/64