Employment as a Court Interpreter

Court interpreters often translate words that are spoken in another language into English in court settings during hearings and trials. Court interpreters interpret testimonies, court decisions, defense and prosecution attorneys’ questions, and interviews in a fair and objective manner.  Sometimes court interpreters translate written records that are presented in court or interviews with law enforcement. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for court interpreters is $51,000 but the salary varies by experience, education level and level of expertise.

As for training for this position, court interpreters must be fluent in a second language in addition to English in order to succeed in this field. Some court interpreters have a bachelor’s degree in sociology, criminal justice and political science with a minor in a foreign language. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that as the Hispanic population increases, there will be a growing need for court interpreters who are fluent in Spanish. Other court interpreters get training by attending a professional school which trains for this profession. You can gain a competitive advantage over other interpreters by getting certified with NAJIT, which stands for the National Association for Judiciary Interpreters and Translators.

One of the best forms of employment for court interpreters is with court interpreting services. Court interpreting services are found in all courts throughout the country and each state has requirements for those who wish to work as court interpreter.  For example, in order to work as a court interpreter in Texas, you’ll need to get the application from the Texas Department of Licensing’s website and download the application. After your application is approved, you’ll  need to take an examination and once you pass the test you’ll have to send your exam to the licensing agency so you can receive your license. After this you would visit the county courthouse and give information about yourself.

In addition to knowing how to speak two languages, court interpreters must also understand legal terminology because he’ll interpret various types of cases on a daily, monthly or weekly basis depending on how long the trial lasts. The interpret can improve in this area by researching the legal terms and finding the accurate foreign language translation of those terms. In addition, the court interpreter who is hired by court interpreting services must also be unbiased in his interpretations.

When you come in the court as a first-time court interpreter, you want to verify the judge’s name, lawyer’s name, court name, court number, case name and case number. Always dress professionally and arrive ten to twenty minutes early to review the case.  Another idea is to talk with the person you’re interpreting for.