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Jury Scam alert -

The Santa Barbara Superior Court has received complaints about individuals trying to scam members of the public by pretending to be court officers or officials. The Jury Services office of the Santa Barbara Superior Court does not call citizens to request payments for failing to appear for jury duty. California law does not permit citizens to pay a fine in lieu of jury duty. If you receive such a call simply hang up and, if the scammer persists, call your local law enforcement agency. Learn more about the recent scam warning.

Notice to Jurors:

Prospective jurors summoned for jury service can expect to receive their jury summons in postcard form. Please check your mail for a postcard with important instructions to fulfil your jury service. Visit the Jury Services page for more information.

Interpreters / Language Access

General Information

The goal of the court is to provide free language access services if you do not speak, write, read, or understand English well.

If you have limited ability to speak, write, read, or understand English, the Santa Barbara Superior Court is able to provide you with a language interpreter. A language interpreter is a person who can translate court proceedings into your preferred language and make sure that you are able to communicate with the Judge and other court officials.

Free interpreters are available for these types of cases:

  • Juvenile
  • Criminal (Felonies and Misdemeanors)
  • Traffic (Infractions)

If available, the court currently provides free interpreter services in civil matters within the priorities established in Evidence Code § 756, as follows:

Priority 1: Domestic violence, civil harassment cases where there is no fee to file, elder abuse cases where there is physical abuse or neglect

Priority 2: Unlawful detainers (evictions)

Priority 3: Termination of parental rights

Priority 4: Guardianship and conservatorship

Priority 5: Cases where one person is asking for sole custody or visitation

Priority 6: Other civil harassment and elder abuse cases

Priority 7: Other family law cases

Priority 8: Other civil cases

Court interpreters cannot help parties fill out or file their court forms.

Whenever possible, the court provides a state certified or state registered interpreter to interpret for Limited English Proficient (LEP) persons in their court proceeding. Since there is a shortage of certified and registered interpreters statewide. When a certified or registered interpreter cannot be found, the court may instead provide an interpreter who has been provisionally qualified by the Court.

What Is the Difference between a Certified, a Registered, and a Provisionally Qualified Interpreter?

The Judicial Council requires court interpreters in the following languages to pass a certification exam: Arabic, Armenian (Eastern), Cantonese, Farsi (Persian), Filipino (Tagalog), Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Punjabi (Indian), Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Only interpreters who pass the Court Interpreter Certification Examination and complete the requirements are referred to as certified interpreters. Certified languages may change periodically, depending on the results of studies of language use in the courts and other administrative factors.

Court interpreters of languages not listed above are eligible to pursue status as a “registered court interpreter.” Registered court interpreters are required to pass the Written Exam, and the Oral Proficiency Exam in English, and an Oral Proficiency Exam in their non-English language. The Oral Proficiency Exams in English and non- English languages assess the candidate’s functional ability to communicate in that language. All exams for both certified and registered status are administered under contract by an approved testing entity as required under Government Code §68562(b).

A noncertified or nonregistered interpreter is provisionally qualified if a judicial officer of a superior court finds the noncertified or nonregistered interpreter to be provisionally qualified to interpret in a specific language or languages and signs the order allowing the interpreter to be considered for appointment on Provisional Qualification of Noncertified or Nonregistered Spoken Language Interpreter (form INT-110).

Requesting an Interpreter

If you need an interpreter, ask the court right away. To ask for an interpreter in a civil matter, fill out and file "Request for Interpreter" (form INT-300) with the Clerk’s Office at least one week before your court date.

It is important that you request an interpreter as early as possible, at least one week before your court date. If an interpreter is not available by the time of your hearing, your case may be continued until one can be located.

For court users with family law, small claims, probate, civil harassment, unlawful detainer, and other limited civil cases, an interpreter may be requested using form INT-300 "Request for Interpreter", which must be e-filed (except for self-represented court users) at the Clerk's Office at least one week before the scheduled hearing. Once received, the Clerk's Office will send notice to the Court Interpreter Coordinator, who, if possible, will book the services of a qualified court interpreter for the date and time specified in the Request for Interpreter.

When parties in civil matters are being represented by an attorney, the attorney of record shall e-file form INT-300 and, in the event the party will not be present at any hearing for which an interpreter was requested, shall give the Court a 72-hour notice.

What If I Need an Interpreter Who Speaks Sign Language?

The Court will provide you with a sign language interpreter for any court hearing or court business you may have. Please notify the court of your request as far in advance as possible. The Court will also provide you with a sign language interpreter if you are called for jury duty. Please contact Jury Services, before your jury service is scheduled to begin, if you will need a sign language interpreter. For more information on this and other access and accommodation needs please visit the American with Disabilities (ADA) page on this site.

Where Can I Get More Information on Becoming an Interpreter?

For all languages, see the Court Interpreters Program (CIP) and the links on the left. For more information on the credentials available for American Sign Language (ASL) court interpreters, see the Bulletin for Interpreters on the Texas ASL Court Interpreter Certification.

Complaints

You may file a complaint regarding a specific California court interpreter if you believe a certified or registered interpreter:

  • Violated Rule of Court 2.890, Professional conduct for interpreters;
  • Is unable to interpret competently in English and/or in the language being interpreted;
  • Committed acts of wrongdoing or behaved unethically.

Before filing a complaint regarding a specific interpreter, please review the California Court Interpreter Credential Review Procedures (English),  (Spanish). To file a complaint directly with the Judicial Council, fill out the California Court Interpreter Complaint Form (English) (Spanish) and submit it as a PDF via email to credreview@jud.ca.gov, or file it directly with the Santa Barbara Superior Court location where the alleged misconduct took place, or mail the signed form to:

Court Interpreters Program
Judicial Council of California
455 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102

If your complaint is regarding Santa Barbara Superior Court’s failure to provide interpreter services or general complaints about court staff, or local documents and translations provided by the court, please fill out the Language Access Complaint Form (English) (Spanish) and return it to the court following the instructions on the form.

Additional Information

If you would like additional information about the California Courts Language Interpreter Program, you can visit the Court Interpreters information page of the California Courts website. To review language access services, policies affecting court users, and language access procedures at our court, please see the Santa Barbara Superior Court's Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan.

Forms

INT 300 Request for Interpreter:

INT 300 (English)

INT 300 (Spanish)

Santa Barbara Superior Court Interpreter Complaint Form:

Complaint Form (English)

Complaint Form (Spanish)

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