Author(s)

Yawen Zheng ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Beijing Normal Hong Kong Baptist University, Wuhan, Hubei, China

Corresponding Author

Yawen Zheng

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the complex role of the court interpreter as a cultural mediator and the ensuing ethical dilemmas. While professional codes of ethics, such as those from the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT), emphasise neutrality and accuracy, power imbalances, emotional bias, and the challenges of legal terminology and nonverbal information often compel interpreters to transcend mere linguistic conversion. Using the AUSIT Code of Ethics as its primary theoretical framework, this paper analyses how interpreters should make professional and just choices when confronting three primary ethical dilemmas: power dynamics among trial participants, interpreter emotional bias, and the handling of legal terminology and nonverbal cues. The study concludes that effective court interpreting is not merely an act of linguistic precision but a profound process of cultural mediation. By strictly adhering to core ethical principles of accuracy, neutrality, and professional boundaries, interpreters are instrumental in upholding procedural justice and fostering a more inclusive and equitable legal environment. This contribution is particularly vital in increasingly multicultural societies, where the courtroom often represents a critical intersection of diverse worldviews and legal traditions.

KEYWORDS

Court Interpreting, Cultural Mediation, Ethical Dilemmas, AUSIT Code of Ethics, Power Imbalance, Impartiality, Professional Boundaries

CITE THIS PAPER

Yawen Zheng. Interpreting as Cultural Mediation in the Courtroom: Navigating Ethical Dilemmas. Science of Law Journal (2026). Vol. 5, No.1, 110-115. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/DOI: 10.23977/law.2026.050116.

REFERENCES

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