Court interpreters
The Evansville Courier & Press has an article with the headline, “It is her job to speak in many voices.” Here are some quotes:
Meanwhile, the number of Spanish-speaking defendants in area courts has escalated. Vanderburgh County officials said 9 percent of more than 12,500 criminal court hearings last year required the use of an interpreter. It’s a dramatic increase over the handful of cases of five years ago.
The standards for court interpreting are rigorous. Not only does Nelson have to simultaneously interpret up to 100 words or more a minute, she has to be ready to transform American legal concepts into a language for which there is often no exact translation. By law, she’s forbidden from interjecting any of her own thoughts or words while acting as a court interpreter. “It’s a stressful job, but I love it,” said Nelson. “It’s a hard job and it should be. You have someone else’s life and liberty in your hands.”
The gravity of that responsibility has prompted both state and federal court officials to raise the bar for what’s required to become a certified court interpreter. A commission appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court in 2001 found evidence of fraudulent conduct by some interpreters and discovered judges, especially those in rural areas, had been relying on police officers or defendants’ relatives to interpret proceedings. It was a recipe for judicial disaster.
You can read more about the Court Interpreter Certification Program online. The Indiana Judiciary also offers resources for potential and current interpreters.
