Over the years when we interpret or translate for the police, prosecutors, lawyers and the courts, we have been asking ourselves this question : How do we know whether we have done a good job?

Sometimes our client has a strong case, sometimes they don’t; some of our witnesses are corporate executives, effective communicators and well educated, others may have never been to school, or struggle to speak or think  even in their own mother tongues.   

Eventually we got our answer. We have discharged our duty as a legal interpreter if things have appeared to our client as clear and transparent as if the event is conducted in the client’s mother tongue. This requires language skill and the ability to tone into people. 

The following are some examples of the cases that we are proud of, knowing we have done the right thing by people. 

Case 1: Impartiality in 30 Day Murder Trial at Victoria Supreme Court

The client was a Cantonese speaking refugee from Vietnam, with 3 years of primary school education and a gambling addiction, facing a murder charge for strangling another Vietnamese who did not speak Cantonese, because the accused did not want to repay the money borrowed from the victim. Our interpreter’s impartiality and professionalism helped to make a fair trial possible. Read Move…

Case 2: Accurate Transcription Shortens Drug Importation Trial

A container of floor tiles from Hong Kong arrived at Fremantle port, with heroin concealed within. Police followed the truck from the port to a warehouse in Perth and subsequently 4 Chinese was arrested.  Telephone intercepts became the key evidence in the police’s attempt to prove that the accused had knowledge of what was inside. Our accurate translation and transcription of hours of phone intercepts greatly shortened the trial. Read More…

Case 3: Ethical Price Reduction & Heroic Effort to Enable Trial to Continue

An elderly Chinese couple from Hong Kong issued proceedings in Melbourne County Court against their accountant daughter for failing to return the money held on trust. We took on this case on compassion ground with a discounted quote when it was referred to us by a colleague. We also agreed to change our billing process from advance payment to payment after judgement and wave any cancellation fee if the trial finished early. More detailed evidence came up during the first day of the trial and our interpreter had to translate a 15 page Chinese court judgement overnight. Read More…

Case 4: Seamless Handover in Lengthy Trial

This case involved a claim by a China-based plaintiff of millions of misused company funds against an Australian director.  The legal process took two years to get to the trial stage and our first translator became a new mum when the trial commenced. Our new mum was able to brief another colleague in our co-opt and go into the lawyer’s office with new born to introduce the colleague. Read Move…