Interpreter Orientation 2024

The court interpreter may give legal advice

• in a limited way, under certain circumstances.

• never under any circumstances.

• when the defendant explicitly asks for help.

• when the defendant is indigent.

Answer explanation

Never. It is beyond the interpreter's scope of practice.

If you are interpreting for an unsophisticated witness and the attorney asks a very complex question which you are sure the person will NOT understand, you should:

• inform the judge that the question needs to be simplified

• choose simpler words and constructions in the target language.

• interpret the question at the same level as the original wording

• ask the attorney to rephrase the question in simpler terms

A defendant testifies about a conversation in which vulgar language is used. You know that this particular judge does not like vulgar language, and your uses of equivalent terms in English will work against the defendant.

• preface the interpretation with an apology to the judge.

• substitute less offensive equivalents for the vulgar language.

• go off the record and advise the defendant to eliminate the vulgarities.

• interpret the vulgarities just as they were stated in the source language.

You interpret for an attorney-client conference, after which the opposing counsel asks you what was said in the conference. You should: 

• refuse to reveal anything that went on in the conference, citing the attorney-client privilege.

• tell the attorney that you would only be able to reveal that information if he hired you to interpret for his side.

• immediately recuse yourself from the case.

• ask the client if he minds if you reveal the content of the conversation.

An attorney has brought in their own interpreter to monitor your interpreting in court. At one point the attorney stands up and challenges your interpretation of a term. You believe your interpretation is correct. You should respond by:

• requesting that the other interpreter be ejected from the court.

• making the correction to avoid creating a scene.

• remaining silent and allowing the judge to rule.

• assertively but politely stating that your interpretation is correct.

If an attorney is speaking too fast or too softly, the interpreter must

• continue interpreting the best that they can so as not to interrupt the proceedings.

• raise their hand to get the speaker's attention.

• immediately inform the judge.

• stop interpreting.

What is a synonym for "prejudicial"?

• before court

• in front of the judge

• detrimental

• objective

What is an antonym for "proclivity"? 

• crevice

• fan

• disfavor

• forte

What does the idiom "cut and dried" mean?

• dehydrated

• up for grabs

• clear

• flower arrangement

What does the legal term "the prosecution rests" mean?

• a request for a recess

• a request for a side bar

• it is the defense's turn to cross-examine the witness

• the government has finished presenting its case-in-chief

Answer explanation

The prosecutor will continue to call witnesses and I will continue to cross-examine witnesses until the prosecution rests, which means they have finished their presentation of evidence and believe they have met their burden of proof.