Since the onset of the pandemic, many of us have adapted to new ways of doing business. One positive change for the Wisconsin Court Interpreter Program (CIP) is that during the pandemic, it pivoted to virtual interpreter trainings. Over the weekends of March 5-6 and March 12-13, 2022, almost 30 individuals took the first step toward attaining certification as a court interpreter by attending an online orientation workshop via Zoom. This online option makes training accessible to individuals anywhere in the state.
In 2021, CIP Manager Alexandra Wirth organized two similar orientation workshops over two weekends, totaling eighteen training hours. The topics covered in the orientation include:
- Criminal and civil terminology
- Ethics for court interpreters
- Overview of the Wisconsin Court System
- Modes of interpretation theory and practice
Following the orientation session, candidates must successfully complete a written examination, which requires a score of 80-percent or better to pass. The CIP offered three opportunities to complete the written examination in 2021. Passage of the oral examination is the most difficult stage, and in 2021, only 14-percent of candidates were successful. This is an improvement over the passage rate in 2019, which was only 8-percent. The work to support candidates continues throughout the training process, so they are better prepared to pass the oral examination. In 2022, the CIP added three new certified interpreters to the roster in Portuguese, Arabic and Spanish. The CIP also added authorized interpreters in several other languages of lesser diffusion, including Yoruba, Mongolian, Laotian, Thai, and Romanian. Qualified interpreters have demonstrated the highest oral proficiency but a certification test for that language is not available.
In addition to training and testing potential court interpreter candidates, the CIP offers skill-building training to interpreters and educational outreach and training to judges, clerks, and court staff.
Being a court interpreter in Wisconsin requires much more than simply being bilingual. Court interpreting is a specialized skill that goes far beyond the ability to translate speech. In addition to being able to perform simultaneous, consecutive, and sight translation, certified interpreters must have broad knowledge regarding court terminology and court procedures, and they must adhere to a code of ethics.
The goal of the Wisconsin CIP is to ensure that highly-trained and skilled interpreters are available to support court proceedings across the state. In an effort to increase the number of certified court interpreters in Wisconsin, the CIP provides opportunities for candidates to complete a three-step certification sequence. The three steps include (1) an orientation to court interpreting, (2) a written examination, and (3) an oral examination. Interpreters must also complete a character and fitness screening and be in compliance with all continuing education and practice requirements.
Court Interpreter Program Manager Alexandra Wirth
Alexandra Wirth is the Wisconsin Court Interpreter Program Manager. Before joining the Office of Court Operations, Wirth worked as a Spanish interpreter for 20 years. She is certified both at the state and federal levels. Wirth has a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Universidad Católica del Ecuador. She also has a Certificate in Sociolinguistics from Kings College, England, and a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from the UW-Milwaukee
Alexandra began her career as a linguist for a petroleum corporation in the Ecuadorian rainforest. She was the liaison between three companies and their workers who spoke three different languages. In the legal arena, Alexandra has interpreted thousands of hours in civil and criminal cases. In addition to court interpreting, Alexandra has interpreted at political debates and for sports figures, including U.S. Soccer Team players and boxing promoter Don King
Third Branch eNews is an online monthly newsletter of the Director of State Courts Office. If you are interested in contributing an article about your department’s programs or accomplishments, contact your department head. Information about judicial retirements and judicial obituaries may be submitted to: Sara.Foster@wicourts.gov