Court interpreting is becoming increasingly professionalized as the number of practitioners grows and judicial systems and legislatures focus more on language rights as an element of due process. This is a course book for court interpreter training orientated for use in any country rather than for one particular judicial system. It covers the history of the profession, the legal basis for the interpreter's presence in the courtroom, criminal and civil proceedings, comparative law, the role of the interpreter and many other topics. This introduction also looks at the developments taking place in the profession and the different judicial systems around the world and addresses the need for a globalized approach to preparing those who wish to enter the profession.