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!
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...
On this blog, we dedicate a great deal of time and effort to the profession of interpreting for the courts. We tell stories, share experiences, propose new ideas, and issue calls to action. This week, let’s look briefly at some issues related to translating for...
Just another day in court: trapped in the middle of a contentious divorce trial between two pro se parties full of rage and completely unversed in the rules of law and trial proceeding. After hours of arguing, Mrs. Divorcee calls her first witness: her 92-year-old...
As I walked into the conference room I noticed the chairs where set up so the participants would sit in groups of six, with the tables forming a large crescent facing the front on the room. On each table was a random assortment of items...
Gio Lester © 2014 After having interpreted at immigration court, the county jail and federal prison, I was called to interpret at the county’s psych ward. It was a long, long drive from my home; way past urban areas and the farm land to the south...
It started off like any other day. I had been working in court for just enough time to have experienced most types of hearings and a trial or two. I had just finished my last calendar case of a busy morning. The timing couldn’t have...
Over the past decade I’ve heard the term “unfunded mandate” used all too often to describe the Department of Justice and the Ohio Supreme Court’s stance on providing interpreters and language access in the courts. This phrase is used because the government requires the use...
Acrobatics: A metaphor for how to interpret with confidence and humility Those who know me outside of interpreting know that acrobatics (specifically partnered “Acroyoga”) is my not-so-secret other love. I am tempted to wax enthusiastic and convert you all to Acroyoga right here and now, but...
This week's post comes from Maria Teresa. Glad to post it on her behalf. - Kevin On my way to the terminal to catch my flight to Chicago at Newark Airport, I was on a shuttle bus. There, I saw a sign that caught my attention...