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| Vol. 74, No. 2, February 2001
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Speaking from Experience
The Minnesota Court Interpreter Program has existed
since 1994. With 38 certified interpreters in three languages now serving
the courts, court personnel have come to recognize the benefits of qualified
interpreters, says coordinator Helen Boddy. "They see that the court proceedings
go much more smoothly and much faster," she says. "And whether they can
tell or not, the interpretations are certainly more accurate."
Minnesota's rules require the court to make a "diligent effort" to hire
a certified interpreter, which means looking beyond the local area and
postponing a hearing, if necessary, until a certified interpreter arrives.
"For a while, when we started the program, people from the courts were
skeptical whether it was worth the expense and hassle of finding a certified
interpreter," Boddy notes. "But we've evolved to the point that enough
judges and court personnel have used certified interpreters, and they
have seen the difference. They also understand this means less risk of
miscarriage of justice."
State funding will be key in spurring even wider use of certified interpreters,
Boddy says. Currently, the state's 87 counties pay for interpreters out
of their own budgets, which poses a hardship for rural counties that must
bring in interpreters from long distances. State funding would eliminate
that hurdle, Boddy believes. This year the Minnesota Legislature will
consider moving toward state funding of all trial court expenses, including
interpreter services.
As judges and court personnel recognize the benefits of certified interpreters,
they increasingly insist on hiring only those with certification. In turn,
that has motivated more interpreters to seek the required training. "The
incentive has trickled down," Boddy points out. "The interpreters and
interpreter agencies have gotten the message that if they want to work
in the courts, they'd better fulfill the requirements."
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