Glosains: Jurnal Sains Global Indonesia
Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): Glosains: Jurnal Sains Global Indonesia

Court Interpreting and Access to Justice for Foreign Defendants in Bali

I Wayan Ana (Warmadewa University)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Mar 2026

Abstract

Background: Despite extensive international research on court interpreting, little empirical evidence exists regarding its practical implementation and user-centered evaluation in Indonesian courts, particularly in cases involving foreign defendants. Objective: This study evaluates the performance and challenges of court interpreters in supporting foreign defendants' access to justice in Bali. Methods: This research employs a descriptive quantitative design with complementary qualitative interpretation of findings. Data were collected through structured interviews and Likert-scale evaluations involving 16 participants (four defendants, four prosecutors, four lawyers, and four interpreters). Results: The findings show notable disparities in interpreter evaluations across stakeholder groups: defendants rated interpreter performance moderately (3.375/5), while prosecutors provided a significantly higher assessment (4.557/5). Defendants reported limited interpreter availability during early police examinations and concerns regarding neutrality, whereas interpreters identified legal terminology and rapid information processing as key challenges. Conclusion: This study contributes empirically to access-to-justice scholarship by demonstrating how stakeholder perceptions reveal structural inconsistencies in interpreter provision within Indonesian courts. Strengthening standardized certification, specialized legal training, and early-stage interpreter deployment is essential to enhance procedural fairness for foreign defendants.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

Glosains

Publisher

Subject

Description

Glosains (Jurnal Sains Global Indonesia) is a peer- reviewed scholarly journal managed and published by Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Kuningan. The journal serves as an academic platform for researchers, academics, and practitioners in the fields of natural sciences, applied sciences, and ...