Translation For Lawyers

Remote foreign language interpretation services, i.e. services provided by a foreign language interpreter who is not on-site, and, therefore, not in the presence of the speaker, have been around for a long time. Such live, real-time foreign language interpreting services are occasionally referred to as "telephone interpreting", "telephonic interpreting", and even "video interpreting". "Remote courtroom interpretation services, on the other hand, are still novel for many jurisdictions.

Nina has recently been quoted in the ABA Journal's article "Translation Station", which talks about a special telephone technology that allows foreign language interpreters to work remotely and interpret court proceedings in real time.

Continue reading "Author of "Translation for Lawyers" Legal Translation Blog Quoted in ABA Journal's Article on Remote Foreign Language Interpreting Services" »

Attorneys love to tell stories about a long-winded verbal exchange between the non-English-speaking witness and the interpreter, or the non-English-speaking defendant and the interpreter, which always ends with the interpreter solemnly declaring "Yes", while failing to inform the English-speaking lawyers of the remaining portion of his or her communication in that foreign language.

What many lawyers don't realize, through, is that they have just met an unqualified person, who, irrespective of his/ her fluency in English and in the given foreign language, is not ready to serve as an interpreter in a legal setting.

Continue reading "Russian Interpreter’s Poor Interpretation Causes a Halted Trial: Why Attorneys Must Learn to Differentiate Between Competent Court Interpreters and Unqualified Individuals" »

Today, many attorneys and even judges continue to be unaware of the professional responsibilities of the foreign language court interpreters. Without such awareness, courts will continue to rely on ad hoc interpreters, or on unqualified bilingual persons who are not familiar with the role of the court interpreter. Don’t let sub-par court interpretation by well-meaning amateur interpreters ruin your case! Learn everything you can about the role of professional court interpreters.

Continue reading "Language Interpreter Accused of Giving Legal Advice to Spanish-Speaking Defendants: What Attorneys Must Know About Court Interpreters" »

A new report by the Equal Rights Center, which was referenced in American Observer, alleges that D.C. residents, who speak limited English, are not getting enough Amharic translations and Amharic interpreting, Chinese translations and Chinese interpreting, Korean translations and Korean interpreting, Spanish translations and Spanish interpreting, and Vietnamese translations and Vietnamese interpreting.

Continue reading "Lack of Foreign Language Translation & Interpretation Violates Language Access Act, Report Says" »

As the need for highly skilled court interpreters continues to grow, the national and local media outlets increasingly focus on the case in Montgomery County, in which charges against a man accused of raping and repeatedly molesting a seven-year-old girl have been dropped because the court took too long to find an interpreter fluent in Vai, the defendant’s native language.

Continue reading "Lack of Court Interpreter Leads to Dismissal of Sex-Abuse Charges" »