The NAJIT Observer (TNO) was created in 2011 in response to NAJIT’s members need for a tool
to share information, first-hand experiences, and the occasional fun moment with colleagues.
We are delighted with the response TNO has received from our members and subscribers. And
thanks to our dedicated and generous contributors, TNO’s archive features an amazing number
of posts that you can search by category or author.
Do you want to contribute a post? Send us an email at TNO_editor@najit.org.
Enjoy The NAJIT Observer!
A little while back I offered to serve as an interpreter, for free, for a non-profit aid trip to Guatemala. I like to help out and it seemed like it was a good cause. I was willing to go out on a limb and offer...
I happen to be a state certified interpreter. By no means does this indicate that I am a perfect interpreter; I am not. It does indicate that I passed a test on a given day, with at least the 70% needed in each section in order to...
It’s hard to believe that some 3,000 days have passed since I stepped foot onto the justice center grounds to begin my career as a court interpreter. Today, I filled my computer wastebasket with work logs that dated back to 2006, and I couldn’t resist...
It’s that time again, when certification candidates start looking for practice buddies, dig up practice materials from workshops taken long-ago, or sign up for new courses, all in the hopes of passing the oral portion of a certification exam. The truth is that what you...
Thank goodness for words like “judge”. Juez just rolls off the tongue so nicely. I can say it in French with no problem at all, and assuming there is a similar concept in any other language of choice, a bilingual dictionary would probably make me...
The annual conference is fast approaching! This year, join us for a weekend of learning, connecting, and reenergizing in Atlanta, Georgia. As part of NAJIT’s commitment to the future of our profession, we are proud to use this week's blog space to announce the “NAJIT...
The result of an 18-month effort, the Judicial Council of California recently voted to approve an historic language services plan for the 58 superior courts in the state. The plan calls for a consistent statewide approach that will include the immediate formation of an implementation...
“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.” - Dalai Lama We use certain dates as “end” dates, and others as “start” dates: birthdays, anniversaries, New Year’s...
It was one of those “deer-in-the-headlights” moments. The judge proclaimed, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!” and then looked at me, pointedly, to interpret. The courtroom was silent. It is hard enough to come up with a good equivalent without...
“Who is ‘she’?” That was the question Louise*, the court reporter, had been subpoenaed to answer. And she was not looking forward to it. The day “she” entered Louise’s life had started like any other day. The assignment didn’t seem to be anything special. Sometimes routine...