You must begin with adequate language skills – college graduate level English and your foreign language (speaking, reading, writing, grammar, etc.). If either of your two languages are not at the college graduate level, you should definitely consider going to college first to learn both languages to an adult, professional, working level.

You will also need to learn thousands of words of legal terminology in both languages, as well as court protocols, and protocols in other judiciary situations (administrative hearings, depositions, etc.). Other countries have different legal systems than ours, so legal terms and concepts won’t always match up exactly, but you are explaining the American legal system to foreign clients, regardless of their origin, so it is important that you know their precise meaning in the American legal system.

So, if your language skills are up to par, but you don’t have the legal terminology knowledge and have no skills in simultaneous interpretation, sight translation and consecutive interpretation, it will take you about one year (or more) to study enough to pass the test, provided you study consistently every day for that year (or more).

Remember, lawyers go to school for many years to learn the terminology that they must know.  You obviously, don’t need to be a lawyer, but you must know and understand the terminology used in the courts and other judiciary situation in two languages, and very quickly. There is no time to look up words and concepts (as in translation) when you’re working. The interpretation must be accurate and complete and totally understandable. In simultaneous interpretation, no one waits for you to catch up, it is up to you to stay caught up. That’s why it takes a while to learn all this terminology and interpreting skill.

Find out if your state belongs to the National Center for State Courts’ Consortium (40 states do). If so, go on line or call your appropriate state agency to find out about the testing requirements, background check of potential interpreters, code of ethics, orientation training and anything else that your state specifically requires. Download any and all forms and other materials from that web site and start a file for your personal use.

If you already have all the knowledge and skills required, you will have to take a written test and an oral test for certification (licensing in Texas). If your state is not a Consortium member, you may have to go to a Consortium member state to take the test. There generally is little reciprocity between states who are Consortium members, as each state has tweaked the original requirements to the point that other states may not accept a given state’s practices. The certification oral test, however, is the same for all member states of the Consortium.

If your state is a Consortium member, there are 19 different languages which are tested, but you may have to go to another state to take the oral test. Call the Consortium and find out. Spanish is, of course, the main language and all member states give these tests within their territories at least once a year if not more.

NAJIT (the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators) also has a “national interpretation examination”. Although this test is not the one given for certification by the Consortium.

The written test changes from state to state. It usually covers ethics questions, includes some legal terminology, some protocol questions and some criminal law terminology.

The oral test consists of: 

·   Two sight translation tests (one from English to the foreign language and one from the foreign language into English) – these take about 10 minutes each.

·   One consecutive interpretation test (about 20-30 minutes).

·   One simultaneous interpretation test (about 7 to 10 minutes).

The tests are monitored by state personnel, (or their contractors), who may or may not actually handle the recording machines used in testing. There is one machine for you to listen to and another for you to record your version of the test.  Your version of the test is then sent to graders who will notify the state on whether you passed or not. The state will notify you if you passed or not. You must pass each segment of the written and oral tests to pass the entire test. Being very good in one segment and poor in another will not allow you to pass the test. If you pass in the state of Texas, you must then apply for the corresponding license. See information on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation web site.

Most states have an on-line list of certified/licensed interpreters from which clients can pick by location. Texas (and possibly some other states) also has a continuing education (CE) requirements (8 hours per year). These CE hours are mandatory in retaining the certification/licensing from year to year.

There are interpreter/translator associations around the country that give short courses from time to time.

To study on your own:

Berkana Language Center carries five books for court interpreting:

1. Introduction to Court Interpreting (English only)

2.                      Manual for Judiciary Interpreters (English/Spanish 700+ page dictionary)

3.                      Municipal and Justice of the Peace Court Interpreters’ Manual (English/Spanish 300+ pages)

4.                      Sight Translation Training Materials (5/6^th English; 1/6^th Spanish)

5.                      Simultaneous Interpreting Training Materials (all English – 2 sound CD-ROMs for practice)

You can find more information and prices on these books at www.eberkana.com Products.

Acebo.com has sight translation, simultaneous and consecutive interpretation materials in English-Spanish, and in some other languages as well.

This is just a short summary of the process. In Berkana’s five books you will find much, much more information, particularly in the Introduction to Court Interpreting. But don’t feel bad or overwhelmed, judiciary interpreting is certainly not for everyone, so there is nothing wrong with saying this is not for me, and moving on to some other good use of your foreign language skills.