2013
Court interpreter training planned for Madison
Madison, Wisconsin - July 25, 2013
The Director of State Courts Office is accepting applications for interpreter training to be held in Madison on Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18 at the UW-Madison's Pyle Center.
While Spanish interpreters are most often requested by the courts, increased efforts are being made to recruit qualified interpreters for many other languages, particularly those spoken by incoming refugee populations. Individuals fluent in Arabic, Burmese, Farsi, French, Khmer, Russian, Somali and Tibetan as well as more rare languages such as Chin, Karen, Karenni (Kayah), and Mon are encouraged to apply. This training is open to sign language interpreters as well. A limited number of scholarships may be available for some non-Spanish languages.
Training sessions are intended for individuals who are interested in learning the fundamentals of court interpreting and are designed to give participants an overview of the needs and expectations of the court with emphasis on ethical conduct, legal terminology, court procedure, and basic legal interpreting skills. Small group practice exercises will help to develop interpreting skills. This session is intended as an introduction to the complexities of court interpreting, rather than as an in-depth training. Faculty includes judges, attorneys, and certified court interpreters. A $175 fee covers the sessions, lunches, and materials. Each session will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on two consecutive days. The deadline for submitting an application is Aug. 5, 2013.
Applications are sought from individuals who are currently interpreting in court proceedings or administrative hearings regularly. The court system also seeks applications from working interpreters in other fields who want to broaden their experience to include legal settings and to bilingual individuals who wish to learn more about the court interpreting profession. Participants who attend orientation, achieve minimal testing levels, and meet other requirements will be placed on a public roster of interpreters used by courts, law enforcement agencies, lawyers, and law-related agencies.
This training is part of the Director of State Courts Office Interpreter Program, which aims to improve interpretation and translation in the courts. For more information on these training sessions, and to register, visit the court system website.
For more information contact the Office of Court Operations at melissa.lamb@wicourts.gov or (608) 266-3121.