Court Interpreter (Spanish/English)

Online Court Interpreter Training

Become a Spanish/English Court Interpreter

Court interpreters provide a vital link between various parties to a court proceeding who may not all speak the same languages. If you want to use your language skills to help ensure fair and equitable court proceedings, this 100% online course will train you for a career as a Spanish/English Court Interpreter. Key topics include legal and technical terminology and court protocols.

Job Outlook for Spanish/English Court Interpreters

  • According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for qualified interpreters and translators are expected to grow by 20% between now and 2029. This is much faster than the expected growth for the overall job market.
  • The BLS reports that interpreters and translators make, on average, $51,830 per year. This rate can increase for those who excel in areas that require specialized terminology and practices, such as the legal field.

Course Objectives

  • Learn best interpreting techniques – simultaneous, consecutive and sight translation
  • Understand criminal and civil terminology in both Spanish and English and the corresponding transfer into the opposite language
  • Develop an understanding of drug, firearm, fingerprint and gang terminology, colloquialisms and slangs, juvenile court terminology, and children’s court terminology
  • Master the necessary material to sit in a State Spanish Court Interpreter examination
  • Grasp courtroom protocol and ethics of the court interpreter

Curriculum

  • INTERPRETING CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS I
    Begin by learning about arraignment, pre-trial hearings, preliminary hearings, criminal terminology, trials, sentencing, and progress reports.
  • INTERPRETING CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS II
    Understand probation violation hearings, colloquialisms, simultaneous techniques, consecutive techniques, criminal offenses in state jurisdictions, and how to interpret laboratory practices.
  • INTERPRETING CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS III
    Cover misdemeanors in state court, felonies in state court, waives and plea forms, DUIs, domestic violence, drug terminology, and drug possession cases.
  • INTERPRETING CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS IV
    Learn firearms, fingerprint, gang, juvenile court, and children’s court terminology. You’ll also cover typical court proceedings for misdemeanors and felonies.
  • SIGHT TRANSLATION FOR COURT INTERPRETERS I
    Understand the principles of localization, re-structuring technique, equivalent legal structures, and interferences.
  • SIGHT TRANSLATION FOR COURT INTERPRETERS II
    Complete the course by learning about style in delivery, exam-taking techniques, transferring low, regular, and high documents into the opposite language, formal criminal and civil vocabulary, and interpreting lab practices.

Prerequisites and Requirements

You must speak English and Spanish fluently. There is no requirement regarding formal education in either Spanish or English. However, you must be able to speak English and Spanish without any hesitations.

Instructor

Nestor Wagner is a certified Court and Medical Interpreter who has been teaching interpreting courses since 1990. He has the highest pass rate of certified court interpreters in the nation. He has published several books in the interpreting community. Mr. Wagner is involved in the examination process for Immigration Interpreters and Analytical Linguists. He participates as speakers in national and international conferences on Criminal, Civil and Immigration Court terminology, advanced interpreting skills, and localization in the transfer of legal and non-legal terminology. Mr. Wagner holds a master’s degree from the University of Washington.

FAQs

  1. What do Spanish/English court interpreters do? 
    Interpreters facilitate legal communication between Spanish and English speakers. They ensure clear and correct understandings of legal passages, testimony, arguments and other legal proceedings.
  2. What level of language fluency is required for Spanish/English court interpreters? 
    In order to guarantee confidence in their services, Spanish/English interpreters must be fully fluent in both languages. In addition, they must be able to interpret dialogue quickly and accurately as it flows in the sometimes-heated legal environment. This course includes an interactive lab that trains you to interpret court cases as if they were taking place in a real court.
  3. What is the difference between a court interpreter and a translator? 
    Generally, interpreters work with spoken conversations and translators work with written documents. In a court of law, the interpreter works with the flow of spoken dialogue and commentary. A legal translator would work with the case documents to provide written language translations.
  4. Can I register for programs if I am an international student?
    Yes, because ed2go programs are online you never have to actually travel to the school.  Most schools offer telephone or online registration.
  5. How long does it take to complete a program?
    All of our programs are self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start them when you want and finish them at your own pace.  When you register, you’ll receive nine (9) months to complete the program.
  6. What if I don’t have enough time to complete my program within the time frame provided?
    The time allotted to complete your program has been calculated based on the number of hours for each program, so don’t worry too much about not completing in time. If, after a concerted effort, you are still unable to complete, your Student Advisor will help you work out a suitable completion date. Please note that a fee may be charged for an extension.
  7. Do I have to buy additional materials?
    No.
  8. Can I get financial assistance?
    ed2go courses are non-credit courses, so they do not qualify for federal aid.  In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses.  Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements.
  9. What happens when I complete the program? 
    Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.
  10. Am I guaranteed a job?
    ed2go programs will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases.  We don’t provide direct job placement services, but our facilitators and career counselors will help you build your resume and are available to give advice on finding your first job.  Facilitators will also be available to use as a professional reference upon completion of the program.  Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.
  11. Who will be my instructor?
    Each student is paired with a facilitator for one-on-one interaction.  The facilitator will be available (via e-mail) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance.  All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.
  12. What software or hardware do I need in order to take online programs and what are the system requirements?
    In order to take our online programs, you must have access to a computer and the Internet.  You can access the program contents from any Web-enabled computer.  You don’t have to use the same computer to log-in to the program every time.  We recommend that you have a word-processing program (Microsoft Word is the best) and the latest version of Internet Explorer.
  13. Can I use a Mac?
    Yes.
  14. How can I get more information about this program?
    If you have questions that are not answered on our website, please feel free to contact us via LIVE chat (click the button above).  If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please feel free to send us a question using the “Contact Us” form to the right.  You may also call us at 1-877-221-5151.  We will answer your questions promptly.
  15. When can I start the program?
    Our programs are all open enrollment.  You can register and start the program as soon as you are ready.Please note:  Once the program curriculum is accessed online or through submission of a material shipment confirmation, refunds cannot be issued.
  16. Does this program prepare for a certification?
    Yes, this program prepares you for any State certification exam as a Spanish Court Interpreter.

Registration and Enrollment

This course is open enrollment. You may enroll and start anytime.