Court Interpreter (Spanish/English)

Overview

Preparing for a state Spanish court interpreter certification exam requires rigorous training and practice. This court interpreter training program provides both of these components—along with access to one of the most advanced online interpreting laboratories available.

Throughout your court interpreter training, you will be able to practice numerous court cases as if you were in an actual court proceeding. The material presented in each lecture is immediately practiced in the online laboratory to make sure that you are able not only to memorize the transfer of a word or phrase but also are able to interpret as it is required in a court of law.

By the end of your court interpreter course, you will have the knowledge needed to interpret in any civil deposition and any other legal proceeding in both criminal and civil jurisdictions.

What you will learn

• Learn best interpreting techniques - simultaneous, consecutive and sight translation
• Understand criminal and civil terminology in both Spanish and English and the corresponding transfer into the opposite language
• Develop an understanding of drug, firearm, fingerprint and gang terminology, colloquialisms and slangs, juvenile court terminology, and children's court terminology
• Grasp courtroom protocol and ethics of the court interpreter
• Master the necessary material to sit in a state Spanish court interpreter examination

How you will benefit

• Learn both the technical and ethical skills required to do the job
• Access intensive laboratory programs that will allow you to practice your skills and gain experience
• Jump-start your career as a certified state court interpreter
• Become prepared to take your state's court interpreter certification exam

Syllabus

1. Interpreting Criminal Proceedings I
   1. Arraignment
   2. Pre-trial Hearings
   3. Preliminary Hearings
   4. Criminal Terminology
   5. Trials
   6. Sentencing
   7. Progress Reports
   8. Probation Violation Hearings
   9. Colloquialisms
   10. Simultaneous Techniques
   11. Consecutive Techniques
   12. Criminal Offenses in the State Jurisdiction
   13. Interpreting Laboratory Practices
2. Interpreting Criminal Proceedings II
   1. Misdemeanors in State Court
   2. Felonies in State Court
   3. Waivers and Plea Forms
   4. DUI/DWI – Driving under the influence/Driving while intoxicating
   5. Domestic Violence
   6. Drug Terminology
   7. Drug Possession cases
   8. Firearms Terminology
   9. Fingerprint Terminology
   10. Gang Terminology
   11. Juvenile Court Terminology
   12. Children's Court Terminology
   13. Typical Court Proceedings – Misdemeanors
   14. Typical Court Proceedings – Felonies
   15. Interpreting Laboratory Practices
3. Sight Translation for Court Interpreters
   1. Principles of localization
   2. Re-structuring techniques
   3. Equivalent legal structures
   4. Interferences – Filtering syntactical and grammatical interferences
   5. Style in the delivery
   6. Exam taking techniques - Objective versus subjective grading
   7. Transferring of low, regular and high register documents into the opposite language
   8. Formal criminal and civil vocabulary and the equivalent transfer
   9. Interpreting Laboratory Practices

Requirements

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 12 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Prerequisites:

You should be familiar with using a personal computer, mouse, and keyboard. You should be comfortable in a Windows or Mac environment, and have the ability to launch and close activities. You must speak English and Spanish fluently. There is no requirement regarding formal education in either Spanish or English. However, you must be able to speak English and Spanish without any hesitations.

State Requirements:

This program is designed to meet the educational requirements to apply for professional licensure or certification in all states.

Each state's licensure or certification authority is responsible for establishing the requirements for professional licensure or certification in its state. Completing this program does not guarantee professional licensure or certification. Eligibility may also depend on factors like work experience, professional examinations, passing a background check, and other criteria. Students are encouraged to contact the appropriate state licensing authority to confirm the requirements for licensure or a certificate in the state where they live, work, or intend to live or work.