This is a new aspect of what we do in court interpreting. When Facebook and Instagram and even text messaging were new around here, not many of the folks I interpreted for on a daily basis were fans. In fact, it wasn't until recently that...
By Claudia E. Villalba One can say that the State of Florida is one of the states at the forefront in the implementation of remote interpreting as a cost-effective and time-saving solution to enable the state courts to provide necessary court interpreting services. An initiative taken...
We’ve all worked with attorneys who just don’t get it. There are those who simply refuse to learn how to work with interpreters, who fail to conduct a thorough preparation of their LEP clients for deposition or trial, who make no attempt to phrase questions...
Oftentimes, the particulars of a case don’t make themselves known to the interpreter until he or she arrives in the courtroom. For plea hearing, the court may need the interpreter to interpret general instructions to the gallery. The public defender may need to speak with...
Without a doubt, a staffer can face precarious positions on an ethical level. We develop close relationships with those around us, and we become very knowledgeable about the processes in our courts. Such familiarity can lead us to become more likely to act outside our...
When you receive wise counsel, it’s not a hypothetical in a book; it’s wisdom applied to your life. Receive it and say, “Thank you.”[1] This is a short story about a fearless trailblazer I admire who is going through some very difficult times. She recently stood...
For me, among the specific skillsets that court interpreters use on a daily basis, true old-fashioned consecutive is the one that has the highest potential to showcase our talents. Because this is the mode that we use most often to go into English, on the...
"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Abraham Lincoln Recently, I was watching the “Special Features” on a DVD my kids were enjoying. One of the costume designers was interviewed and spoke about how her role was to put...
Continuation of “Freudian Tales” posted on December 20, 2013. Miami: Arriving at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, to Judge Rubin’s courtroom promptly at 8:15 a.m. Friday morning, Harry introduced himself to Lia, the new interpreter, originally from Madrid, more recently from Salt Lake...
A quick refresher for those of us who don’t remember Freud’s tripartite structure of the psyche. The Id: Miami Seconds before the alarm on his i-phone went off, Harry languidly opened one eye, methodically scratched his parts and peered through the blinds that faced the Atlantic Ocean and the 395...
