Application open for spring court interpreter training

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The Wisconsin Director of State Courts Office is accepting applications for spring court interpreter training scheduled for April.

The virtual training is scheduled for the weekends of April 10 and 11 and April 17 and 18. It’s open to anyone who wants to explore work as an interpreter for the Wisconsin court system.

The faculty includes circuit court judges, the deputy director for court operations, the Wisconsin court interpreter program manager and certified court interpreters. A $150 fee will pay for all the sessions and training materials.

The first day of training will be about legal topics, such as the Wisconsin court system and legal terminology in criminal and civil court. The second day will be about ethics, offering a detailed presentation of the Code of Ethics for court interpreters, followed by small group practice.

During the second weekend of training, the participants will concentrate on interpretation, starting with a lecture on interpretation basics, followed by practices in small groups led by certified court interpreters.

The application deadline is March 27, and registration is open on the court system’s website. Attendees are required to have a computer or tablet, internet access, and Zoom downloaded on their device.

Spanish is the most-requested language in Wisconsin courts, but the courts use interpreters of more than 50 languages each year, including sign language. People who can interpret Arabic, Burmese, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Hmong, Karen, Somali, Rohingya and Vietnamese are encouraged to apply. Scholarships may be available for participants with certain non-Spanish languages.

Participants who complete orientation, achieve minimal testing levels and meet other requirements will be placed on a public roster of interpreters used by courts, law enforcement agencies, attorneys and law-related agencies.

The Director of State Courts Office held a similar virtual training in September using Zoom, and the office found it successful. Follow @WLJReporter