Language interpreters play an important role in ensuring due process and helping court proceedings function efficiently and effectively. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses court interpreters and maintains a searchable database to help courts locate licensed interpreters throughout the State. While the courts are responsible for locating and scheduling language interpreters, the Office of Court Administration (OCA) can provide resources and information to facilitate the courts' use of interpreters. OCA also operates the Texas Remote Interpreter Project (TRIP), which provides court interpreter services at no cost to district and county level courts for use in qualifying cases involving domestic violence between intimate partners.
This website contains information and resources for judges, court personnel, and interpreters.
Judges/Court Personnel
State statutes and rules
- Tex. Gov't Code, Ch. 57 - Addresses appointment of court interpreters for foreign language speakers and hearing-impaired individuals upon a party's motion, a witness' request, or the court's own motion. Chapter 57 also establishes programs for licensing court interpreters for foreign language speakers (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) and certifying court interpreters for hearing-impaired individuals (Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services).
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Art. 38.30 - Addresses appointment of an interpreter in a criminal proceeding when a person charged or a witness does not understand and speak English.
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Art. 38.31 - Addresses appointment of an interpreter in a criminal case when a defendant or witness is deaf.
- T.R.C.P. 183 - Addresses appointment and compensation of an interpreter.
OCA TRIP program (Texas Remote Interpreter Project)
The Texas Remote Interpreter Project (TRIP) provides licensed court interpreter services (for Spanish interpretation) and vendor services (for non-Spanish interpretation), at no cost to district and county-level courts, for use in cases involving intimate partner violence. Counties of any size may use TRIP for civil cases, and counties with a population of less than 50,000 may also use it for criminal cases when Spanish interpretation services are required. TRIP services may not be used to replace county-funded interpreter services, but may be used to supplement those services in certain situations. Please follow the program link above for more information.
Federal laws, regulations, and guidelines
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DOJ Guidance ("Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons," 67 Fed. Reg. 41,433 (June 18, 2002) -
- Advises recipients of federal financial assistance to take "reasonable steps to provide meaningful access" to their programs and activities by persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
- Sets out four factors that recipients should consider in determining the steps to take and mix of services and states that "[a]t a minimum, every effort should be taken to ensure competent interpretation for LEP individuals during all hearings, trials, and motions during which the LEP individual must and/or may be present."
- Encourages recipients to develop a written plan on language assistance for LEP persons and suggests elements of an effective plan.
- LEP.gov - Federal interagency website with information and resources on providing language assistance to LEP individuals
Language access plans
- Model language access plans - The plans adopted in various Texas counties may serve as models for development of a language access plan.
- Texas census information - These links may be used to obtain census data for the entire State and/or a county:
Resources for judges and court personnel
- Locate an interpreter in the TDLR database - The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses court interpreters and maintains a searchable database that can be used to find an interpreter in a particular area of the State.
- Obtain an interpreter for certain cases involving intimate partner violence through the OCA TRIP program (Texas Remote Interpreter Project) - TRIP provides licensed court interpreter services (for Spanish interpretation) and vendor services (for non-Spanish interpretation), at no cost to district and county-level courts, for use in certain cases involving intimate partner violence.
- Other sources of interpreters if a Texas licensed court interpreter is not available (OCA does not endorse these providers; other qualified providers may be available):
- Judges' Guide to Standards for Interpreted Proceedings - This guide is an excerpt from "Court Interpretation: Model Guides for Policy and Practice in the State Courts," published by the National Center for State Courts.
- I Speak card - A tool for identifying the language of individuals who do not speak English.
- LEP.gov - Federal interagency website with information and resources on providing language assistance to LEP individuals.
- NCSC/Consortium for Language Access - Website for National Center for State Courts Consortium for Language Access in the Courts.
- ABA Standards - Standards for Language Access in Courts, adopted by the American Bar Association House of Delegates on February 6, 2012.
- TDLR website - Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's website for its licensed court interpreter program.
Interpreters
Information about licensing process - The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses court interpreters for language interpretation. An applicant for a court interpreter's license must pass oral and written exams designed by the Consortium for Language Access in the Courts.
- TDLR website - Contains information about the licensed court interpreter program's exam requirements, application process, fees, program rules, the code of professional responsibility for licensed court interpreters, and continuing education requirements.
- NCSC Consortium for Language Access in the Courts website
Information about interpreter education/training programs - Court interpreting is a highly skilled profession that requires college or graduate level education, training, and experience, as well as knowledge of both high level legal terminology and many registers of slang. If you are new to court interpreting and would like to train, we encourage you to explore the short and long term interpreter training opportunities listed below. Not included are links to several commercial courses for self-study, which may be found by searching online.
- Texas programs
- University of Texas at Brownsville, Department of Modern Languages - http://www.utb.edu/Pages/default.aspx
- Tarrant County College, Continuing Education Department - www.tccd.edu
- Austin Community College, Continuing Education Program - http://www.austincc.edu
- Professional organizations - Some of these organizations offer training programs.
- Texas Association of Judicial Interpreters & Translators (TAJIT) - www.tajit.org
- Austin Area Translators and Interpreters Association (AATIA) - aatia.org
- Houston Interpreters and Translators Association (HITA) - www.hitagroup.org
- Metroplex Interpreters and Translators Association (MITA Dallas/Fort Worth Area) - www.dfw-mita.com
- El Paso Interpreters and Translators Association (EPITA) - www.metroplexepita.org
- American Translators Association (ATA) - www.atanet.org
- The American Association of Language Specialists (TAALS) - www.taals.net/
- National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) - www.najit.org
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Updated: 27-Dec-2012
