This paper represents the results of years of observations in the course of the autors' work both as legal-judicial interpreters and conference interpreters. It is based on their own experience and on the feedback of the people they have worked with. This is not intended to be a scientific study; it is intended as a conceptual and practical exercise. But, most of all this is a necessary first step so that others may continue to explore this issue in 'real life' situations, and hopefully improve the quality of our services and make bilingual legal proceedings more fair for all parties involved. The authors' experience is mainly in the United States legal system, specifically in the Federal Court system, and it is explained why this context differs from other settings.