Due to the increased movement of people across national boundaries, more and more people who come before the court do not speak the language of the court, be it in the US, Australia or European countries. This paper outlines the legal regimes and laws governing the use of interpreters/translators in legal proceedings. It sets out the legal platform in international law and briefly surveys the situations in Europe, Australia, USA, Canada, Hong Kong and China, highlighting the relevant laws in this area. The paper also raises a number of issues for further consideration. It discusses whether the right to an interpreter should include translator and the competence of the court interpreter/translator and its implications.