NOT SURPRISEDI`ve been doing this job for a while and when something new happens or a procedural change surprises me I am not surprised. Earlier this week the bench was mailed a multi page document on supposed best practice in dealing with interpreters in court. A day or two later with a defendant in the secure dock and the interpreter having affirmed her details and language I requested as I have many times previously that she join the defendant at which point our L/A told the SERCO person and the defendant to leave the dock and go behind the secure door until the interpreter was in place in the dock subsequent to which they should return. He later explained that that was the latest advice from the J.C. If, however the interpreter were already in the dock the defendant would be able to join him or her. Needless to add but I shall, that latest “advice” was absent from the multi page advice note. It was more concerned with the most simplistic of points eg “the chairman should ensure that court officers speak slowly enough and give due consideration to there being an interpreter translating proceedings”. Am I surprised?..............................