Language services for state and federal criminal defense.
The Sixth Amendment guarantees criminal defendants the right to confront witnesses against them, which in practice requires a qualified interpreter when the defendant or a witness has limited English proficiency. AMS supplies certified court interpreters for state and federal criminal matters across California and Nevada, including arraignments, preliminary hearings, suppression motions, trials, witness interviews, attorney-client communication, and jail/detention visits.
What we handle
In-court proceedings
Arraignments, prelims, suppression hearings, trials, sentencings, probation hearings, parole hearings.
Federal criminal matters
U.S. District Court proceedings with FCICE-certified Spanish interpreters and federally-qualified interpreters in other languages.
Attorney-client communication
Confidential interpreter services for defense attorney visits with detained or jailed clients, where attorney-client privilege requires the interpreter as agent of counsel.
Witness interviews
Defense-side witness interviews, often in pretrial preparation. Interpreters trained for the investigative format.
Jail and detention center visits
On-site at LA County Jail, MDC, Santa Rita Jail, San Francisco County Jail, CCDC (Clark County Detention Center), and federal detention facilities.
Expert and lay witness preparation
Pre-trial witness prep with interpretation, including review of prior statements, deposition transcripts, and physical evidence.
Document translation for the defense
Certified translation of foreign police reports, prior records, family-court records, immigration documents, and other defense-relevant materials.
Recorded statements and surveillance audio
Verbatim transcription and translation of foreign-language audio evidence (recorded statements, wire intercepts, surveillance recordings) for trial use.
How it works
- 01
Send the matter details
Date, time, language, the venue (state court, federal court, jail, attorney office), and a brief case summary.
- 02
We match a criminal-experienced interpreter
Criminal proceedings require specific terminology and confidentiality discipline; we match accordingly.
- 03
Written confirmation
Confirmation includes interpreter name and credential. One scheduling contact throughout.
Why criminal defense attorneys choose AMS
Sixth Amendment standard
Interpreters who understand that the criminal defendant's Confrontation Clause and due-process rights depend on accurate interpretation. We treat that as the working standard.
Federal-court experience
FCICE-certified Spanish interpreters and federally-experienced interpreters in other languages for U.S. District Court matters.
Jail and detention access
Routine practice in California and Nevada jails and federal detention facilities. Interpreters know the access protocols.
Criminal defense interpreting questions, answered
Does a criminal defendant have a right to a court-certified interpreter?
Yes for criminal matters in California and most other states. California Penal Code § 1339 and Evidence Code § 752 require an interpreter where the defendant is unable to understand English. The Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause requires accurate interpretation as a matter of constitutional law. State courts require certified interpreters where certification exists for the language pair.
Does the interpreter need to attend attorney-client meetings?
Often yes. If the client has limited English proficiency, the defense attorney needs an interpreter for substantive case discussions. Many courts will not accept defense work as "informed" unless documented interpretation has occurred for substantive client meetings. The interpreter operates under attorney-client privilege as an agent of counsel.
Can AMS interpret at LA County Jail, MDC, Santa Rita, and Clark County Detention Center?
Yes. AMS interpreters routinely conduct attorney visits at LA County Jail, the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), Santa Rita Jail (Alameda County), San Francisco County Jail, the Clark County Detention Center (CCDC), and federal detention facilities. We coordinate access in advance.
Does AMS handle federal criminal cases?
Yes. FCICE-certified Spanish interpreters and federally-qualified interpreters for U.S. District Court matters in the Central, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California, and the District of Nevada. We also handle U.S. Magistrate proceedings, U.S. Bankruptcy Court criminal contempt matters, and federal grand jury proceedings (where permitted).
Can AMS transcribe and translate foreign-language wire intercepts and surveillance audio?
Yes. Verbatim transcription of foreign-language recordings (wire intercepts, recorded statements, surveillance audio) with translation to English. We provide a Certificate of Accuracy suitable for use as evidence. For long-form recordings, advance notice is helpful.
Does AMS handle indigenous-language criminal defense cases?
Yes. Indigenous Mesoamerican language defendants (Mixtec, Triqui, Quiché, Mam) require qualified in-language interpretation under California law and Sixth Amendment standards. AMS coordinates indigenous-language interpreters for criminal proceedings, primarily by remote.
Further reading
What is a certified court interpreter, and why does it matter?
The three working tiers of court interpreter and the consequences of hiring the wrong one.
Read the articleFederal court interpreter certification, explained
How FCICE works for federal criminal matters.
Read the articleCalifornia Court Interpreter Program: what counts as certified
How California certifies court interpreters.
Read the articleCourt interpreter ethics: the four canons
What ethical standards govern interpreter conduct in criminal proceedings.
Read the articleIndigenous Mesoamerican languages in U.S. courts
For criminal defense involving indigenous-language defendants.
Read the articleSpanish dialects in U.S. legal and medical interpreting
When dialect matching matters in criminal defense.
Read the articleSchedule with AMS
Request a quote or reach our scheduling team. AMS will assign the right linguist for your matter.