News

The Director of State Courts Office is accepting applications for interpreter training to be held in Milwaukee on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18 at the Student Union at UW-Milwaukee.

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. Training is also open to sign language interpreters.

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 orientation 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, lunch and all training materials. Each session will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on two consecutive days.  The application deadline is May 2.

Applications are also sought from people already interpreting in a legal or administrative hearing setting and in other fields, such as healthcare and education, who want to broaden their experience. Bilingual advocates who wish to learn more about the court interpreting profession are also encouraged to apply.  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 at http://www.wicourts.gov/services/interpreter/orientation.htm

For more information contact Carmel Capati, Office of Court Operations at carmel.capati@wicourts.gov or (608) 266-8635.