Best Practices for Working with

Interpreters and Clients with

Limited English Proficiency
NAJIT Bench and Bar Committee 2016-2017:
Ernest Niño-Murcia (Chair), Magdalena Girón, Armida
Hernandez, Ana Silvestri, Elizabeth Torres, Vinka Valdivia
Defining Key Terms

• Source Language
• Target Language
• Interpreting
• Translation
• Linguistic Presence
• L.E.P.
Language Proficiency

• Limited English Proficient (LEP)

• Conversational vs. Advanced Fluency
• Technical registers
Component Skills of Interpreting

Subject-
Specific
Vocabulary

Language
Language
Subject-Specific Vocabulary

• Expert Witnesses
• Legalese
– Common words with uncommon usage
• Charge (arraignment vs. jury charge)
• Discovery ≠ Descubrimiento
(false cognate in Spanish)
Component Skills of Interpreting

Subject-
Subject-
Specific
Specific
Vocabulary
Vocabulary

Language
Language

Interpreting
Skills
Modes of Interpreting: Sight Translation

Sample Legal Text: Plea Form

Computer Crime Prevention Fund Penalty, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-3.8. If the
crime involves a violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(b) (knowingly
possessing or knowingly viewing child pornography, N.J.S.A. 2C:34-3
(selling, distributing or exhibiting obscene material to a person
under age 18) or an offense involving computer criminal activity in
violation of any provision of Title 2C, chapter 20, you will be
assessed a mandatory penalty as listed below for each offence for
which you plead guilty?

USED FOR: SKILLS:

• Documents
Modes of Interpreting: Sight Translation

PLEA FORM
Computer Crime Prevention Fund Penalty, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-3.8. If
the crime involves a violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(b)
(knowingly possessing or knowingly viewing child pornography,
N.J.S.A. 2C:34-3 (selling, distributing or exhibiting obscene
material to a person under age 18) or an offense involving
computer criminal activity in violation of any provision of Title
2C, chapter 20, you will be assessed a mandatory penalty as
listed below for each offence for which you plead guilty?

USED FOR: SKILLS:

• Documents • Reading Comprehension
• Analytical skills
• Multitasking
Modes of Interpreting: Sight Translation

Pitfalls
– Risk of overly literal rendition
– Increased interference
– More errors compared to a written translation
 Modes/Skills: Consecutive Interpreting

English Interpreter Non-English Language

E SS
 Modes/Skills: Consecutive Interpreting

USED FOR: • Witness testimony

• Interview
SKILLS:
 Modes/Skills: Consecutive
Interpreting

USED FOR: • Witness testimony

• Interview
SKILLS: • Listening
• Managing the witness
• Self-monitoring
• Self correction
• Note-taking/memory/chunking
 Consecutive Interpreting: Notes
I can’t see the driveway
because my window is in
the back of the house
above the bushes next to
the pool. But because I
could hear the door
close, I think it was a big
car like a truck, van or
SUV

(43)
Consecutive Interpreting: Notes

• Meaning based symbols

• Legal equivalent
– Hedges, fillers, false starts, self-corrections
– Differs from a word for word rendition
Modes of Interpreting: Simultaneous
Modes of Interpreting: Simultaneous

• (new image)

USED FOR: • When exchange is more monologue than dialogue

• Time-saving

SKILLS:
Modes of Interpreting: Simultaneous

USED FOR: • When exchange is more monologue than dialogue

• Time-saving
SKILLS: • Multitasking
• Analysis
• Problem Solving
• Speed
• Modulation of voice
Component Skills of Interpreting

Subject-
Subject-
Specific
Vocabulary

Language
Protocol
Interpreting
Skills and Ethics
NAJIT Code of Ethics (Part 1)
1. Accuracy
2. Impartiality/Conflict
of Interest
3. Confidentiality
4. Limitations of
Practice
5. Protocol and
Demeanor
Court Interpreter Ethics/Protocol
• Correct Use of Person
(e.g. Always interpret in the FIRST PERSON)

“Llegué a las diez” ¨I arrived at 10¨ 

¨He arrived at 10¨
¨He says he arrived at 10¨
 Action Items for Attorneys
• Address the L.E.P. Party DIRECTLY
• ess the“When
L.E.P.did
Party DIRECTLY
you arrive?”
“When did he arrive?”

“Ask him when he arrived”

Q. Why is this a problem?

A. When attorney says:
“Does he have any questions?”
The interpreter must interpret:
“Does he have any questions?” (in target language)
Ambiguity of Pronoun Usage:

Confusion/Ambiguity:

Witness: I arrived and saw that my brother

....was upset.

Attorney: When did he call the police?

Witness: Who’s he?

 Action Items for Attorneys
• Address the L.E.P. Client DIRECTLY
• Recognize and address red flags
– Interpretation too long or too short
– Interpreter is silent when they should be interpreting
– Interpreter has a side conversation with L.E.P.
• Seek out a professional interpreter:
One who carries/uses a dictionary, asks for
repetition when necessary, requests
materials beforehand, asks for a break.
The High Cost of Unprofessional Interpreting

• Possible Appeal Issue

• Longer, Less Fluid Proceeding
• Miscommunication Bad Outcomes
NAJIT Code of Ethics (Part 1)
1. Accuracy
2. Impartiality/Conflict
of Interest
3. Confidentiality
4. Limitations of
Practice
5. Protocol and
Demeanor
Action Items for Attorneys
• Address the L.E.P. Client DIRECTLY
• Recognize and address red flags
• Seek out a professional interpreter
• Respect Interpreter Scope of Practice
Do not ask that an interpreter:
• Communicate directly with the L.E.P.
• Explain legal terms or concepts
• Offer opinions on the proceeding
• Interpret a/v materials on-site *

*https://najit.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Onsite-
NAJIT Code of Ethics (Part 2)
6. Maintenance and
Improvement of Skills
and Knowledge
7. Accurate
Representation of
Credentials
8. Impediments to
Compliance
Canon VII: Impediments to Compliance

Interpreters must inform the court when there

are conditions that impede full compliance
with any Canon of the Code:
 Inability to Hear
 Inadequate Knowledge of Terminology
 Interpreter Fatigue
 Impediment: Interpreter Fatigue

• 30 minute window1
• Fatigue  Mistakes  Compromised Record
• Court Rules
Two interpreters required for any proceeding
longer than 2 hours (NM)

1
http://www.najit.org/publications/Team%20Interpreting_052007.pdf
Action Items for Attorneys
• Address the L.E.P. Client DIRECTLY
• Recognize and address red flags
• Seek out a professional interpreter
• Respect Interpreter Scope of Practice
• Be Aware of Interpreter Impediments to
Compliance
 Spoken Language Interpreter Classifications:
New Mexico

In Directory under
CCI’s Certified Court
Interpreter
In Directory under
Registry Of JSI’s
Justice System
Interpreter

Language Access Specialist

 Requirements
LAS JSI CCI
Online language skills Same and background Background check
assessment interview check

12 wk. online course 26 wk. online course 2 wk. online intro course
Annual 1 day Symposium Membership in Membership in
professional association professional association

4 CEU’s annually 20 CEU’s bi-annually 20 CEU’s bi-annually

LAS Code of Ethics Court Interpreter Code of Court Interpreter Code of

Ethics Ethics

No NCSC exam NCSC exam min. 80% NCSC exam min. 80%
written; min. 55% on 3 written; min. 70 % on 3
parts of oral exam parts of oral exam
 Scope/Limitations of Practice
LAS JSI CCI
YES - Outside Same as LAS’s NO limitations on
courtroom, including practice
mediations
YES - In Municipal YES – In court except
court for non-jailable NOT for jurors, or if a
traffic offenses jailable offense for-
evidentiary hearing;
guilty or no-contest
plea proceeding; or
trial. (civil and
criminal)
Act as scribes for LEP’s
Requesting an Interpreter in New
Mexico
• File a timely request
• Coordinator will assign interpreter(s) using the
Gridcheck system
• Team Interpreting: 2 interps for > 2 hrs
1 interp with breaks if < 2 hrs *

Public/private attorneys can access a Directory on

the NM Court website

*Rule 5-122, NM Rules of Criminal Procedure