Ethics in Expert Witness Testimony. Language Neutral

This 3-hour ethics course focuses on the unique ethical challenges court interpreters face when interpreting expert witness testimony for Limited English Proficient (LEP) defendants. Participants will analyze real-world scenarios involving scientific, medical, forensic, and technical expert testimony. They will examine how complex, technical testimony can be inaccessible not only to LEP defendants, but also to English-speaking defendants—underscoring the interpreter’s ethical obligation to provide complete, faithful, and unbiased interpretation, not simplified explanations. The course emphasizes the interpreter’s role in preserving equal access without altering, explaining, or “dumbing down” testimony, and highlights the ethical necessity of case-specific preparation when expert witnesses are involved.