Legal (Court) Interpreting




A court interpreter is anyone who interprets in a civil or criminal court proceeding (arraignment, motion, pretrial conference, preliminary hearing, deposition, trial) for a witness or defendant who speaks or understands little or no English. Court interpreters must accurately interpret for individuals with a high level of education and an expansive vocabulary, as well as persons with very limited language skills without changing the language register of the speaker. Interpreters are also sometimes responsible for translating written documents, often of a legal nature, from English into the target language and from the target language into English.

U.S. Federal Courts: These interpreters are certified through the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination Program (FCICE). Certification is offered in Spanish, Navajo, and Haitian Creole. Other languages are considered “Professionally Qualified” or “Language Skilled” (determined by the local federal court). The Certification Examination consists of a written exam followed by an oral exam. You must pass the written exam in order to qualify to take the oral exam. You can access their website at www.cps.ca.gov/fcice-spanish/index.asp. For more information or to request an information packet, contact:

 

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