Interpreting Services
 The Court of Justice provides interpreting services for individuals who have a limited ability to understand English, are deaf or hard of hearing, or are unable to speak. Removing barriers to communication helps ensure that all citizens receive fair and equal access to justice.
The Kentucky Court of Justice provides interpreting services during court proceedings or directly related actions. The Kentucky Court of Justice also must comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act by providing qualified interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing. The Kentucky Court of Justice does not provide interpreting services for attorneys, public defenders, law enforcement officers, jail officials, other state agency employees, social workers or mental health workers.
Court interpreter Martin Vidaud, left, translates for a defendant and his attorney.
Photo courtesy of Pablo Alcala, Lexington Herald-Leader
The Kentucky Court of Justice has access to the following interpreters for persons with limited English proficiency:
-Certified and Qualified Spanish Interpreters
-Deaf and Hard of Hearing Interpreters
-Qualified Interpreters for Japanese, Russian, Korean, Bosnian, Arabic, Portuguese, French and German.
 |
Role of a Court Interpreter |
 |
The role of the court interpreter is to completely and accurately interpret or translate what is stated or written during a court proceeding. The court interpreter must:
- Remain neutral and unbiased.
- Never alter, omit, add or summarize while interpreting or translating.
- Never show or express emotions during a court proceeding.
- Never provide legal advice or become an advocate for either party in a court proceeding.
^Top
|
Requesting/Appointing a Court Interpreter |
|
Judges, circuit court clerks, court administrators and other Court of Justice personnel can request a court interpreter. The Division of Interpreting Services of the Administrative Office of the Courts then appoints an interpreter to meet the specified need. ^Top
|
Appropriate Modes of Interpreting |
|
Simultaneous interpreting is interpreting at the same time someone is speaking and is only to be heard by the person receiving the interpretation.
Consecutive interpreting is interpreting after the speaker has stopped speaking and is to be heard by everyone.
Sight interpreting/translating is when an interpreter reads a document in one language while interpreting/translating orally into another language. ^Top
|