Rule 7.070.Foreign Language Interpreters

Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026

In one sentenceUTCR 7.070 requires a party who needs a foreign language interpreter for a court proceeding to tell the court as soon as possible and no later than four judicial days before it, and sets out the details that notification must include.

Full Text of Rule 7.070

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(1) If a foreign language interpreter is needed for a court proceeding, the party in need of an interpreter must notify the court in the manner required by the court as soon as possible, but no later than four judicial days in advance of the proceeding. For good cause shown, the court may waive the four-day advance notice.

(2) Notification to the court must include:

(a) The name of the person needing an interpreter;

(b) The case number;

(d) The nature of the proceeding;

(e) The person’s status in the proceeding;

(f) The time, date, and estimated length of the proceeding;

(g) Whether the proceeding is scheduled to be conducted in person at the courthouse or by remote means, and, if by remote means, the type of remote means proceeding (e.g., by telephone, particular mode of video conference, etc.); and

(h) The language to be interpreted.

End

Plain-English Summary

Interpreters have to be found, scheduled, and sometimes brought in from another city, so the rule front loads the request. A party in need of an interpreter must notify the court in the manner the court requires, as soon as possible and no later than four judicial days in advance of the proceeding. The court may waive that four day advance notice for good cause shown.

The required contents mirror the court's scheduling problem. Notification must include the name of the person needing an interpreter, the case number, the charges if applicable, the nature of the proceeding, the person's status in it, and the time, date, and estimated length. It must also state whether the proceeding is set in person at the courthouse or by remote means and, if by remote means, the type, with telephone and a particular mode of video conference given as examples.

The final item is the one that governs everything else: the language to be interpreted. Name it precisely. A regional variety or dialect can determine which interpreter the court can use, and the estimated length of the proceeding tells the court how long that person has to be available.

Nothing in the rule asks the requesting party to find or pay an interpreter. The duty is notification, and it runs to the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I ask for an interpreter in an Oregon circuit court?

Notify the court in the manner that court requires, as soon as possible and no later than four judicial days before the proceeding. Include everything UTCR 7.070 lists, so the court does not have to come back with questions before it can book anyone.

Can the court waive the four-day notice?

Yes, for good cause shown. The rule lets the court waive the four-day advance notice, so a late request should say when the need arose and why earlier notice was not possible.

What has to be in the interpreter request?

The name of the person needing the interpreter, the case number, charges if applicable, the nature of the proceeding, that person's status, the time, date, and estimated length, whether the proceeding is in person or by remote means and which kind, and the language to be interpreted.

Do I have to say which language?

Yes. The language to be interpreted is a required item, and it is the one the court cannot work around. Be specific rather than general, because the pool of available interpreters turns on the answer.

Does the rule cover remote hearings?

It does, and it treats them as a distinct scheduling problem. The notification must say whether the proceeding is scheduled in person at the courthouse or by remote means, and if remote, the type, such as by telephone or a particular mode of video conference.

Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the official Oregon Uniform Trial Court Rules (UTCR 7.070). Prescribed by the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court (UTCR 1.020). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified September 12, 2026. · Official source

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