For the first time, Tennessee has certified foreign language interpreters available to assist court users who speak and understand little or no English.
The seven interpreters, certified in Spanish, have passed written and oral examinations and a criminal background check as required by Tennessee Supreme Court rules adopted earlier this year. The two rules mandate proficiency and ethics standards for certification and were aimed at eliminating language barriers to equal justice. Before the rules were adopted in April, there were no standards for state court interpreters in Tennessee.
The Administrative Office of the Courts, using a federal grant, contracted with the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute to develop standards and conduct workshops and testing for prospective interpreters. The AOC also joined a national consortium to access tests for the certification process.
Written tests have been given to 150 applicants and 39 also have taken the oral examination. Prospective interpreters have been tested in Arabic, Vietnamese, Lao and Spanish. In addition to the first seven to be certified, another 18 have qualified as registered interpreters, meaning they have passed the written test and criminal background check, but have not yet completed the oral examination requirement.
"The certification of these interpreters is a tremendously important step toward addressing some of the issues that have arisen as our population has become more diverse," Chief Justice Frank Drowota said.
Under the supreme court rules, judges in Tennessee are required to attempt to appoint an interpreter who is certified if one is available. In most cases, the cost of providing an interpreter is included in court costs, although indigent criminal defendants may have state-paid interpreters to help them communicate with their attorneys.
A list of the certified interpreters is available on the court system website at www.tsc.state.tn.us.