Court interpretation certification

by Nina
(Georgia )

Nina asked: I am not certified or anything but I have been interpreting for friends and family for a long time. Do I need to have a court interpretation certification to interpret at a courthouse, such as interpreting at a trial?



The Spanish Translator: Thanks for the question, Nina. I'm not an interpreter but I have put together some useful information for those who are interested in either becoming federal court interpreters or state court interpreters.

One thing that you'll need to remember is that there are different rules that regulate interpreters, depending on the type of court that they are interpreting in. For example, requirements for interpreting in a state court are different than what the federal system requires. Also, not all states have the same requirements for interpreters.

Luckily, there are some good resources out there for those interested in becoming a certified court interpreter. For federal requirements, check out the US Courts page. Click on the region your interested in and then look for information on court interpreters. If you'd like to stick with the state courts, a great site is The National Center for State Courts which has some great resources for those interested in becoming a court interpreter.

Hope that helps, and good luck!