Administrative Office of the United States Courts District Court Administration Division NAJIT’s...

Administrative Office of the United States Courts

District Court Administration Division

NAJIT’s 31st year May 15-17, 2010Orlando, Florida

Will address issues discussed at 2009 NAJIT meeting. Statistics on Court Interpreting in the U.S. courts. The National Court Interpreter Database (NCID). Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam (FCICE). Boilerplate contract interpreter Terms and Conditions. Languages Other than Spanish (LOTS) Current AOUSC projects.

Created as a result of the Court Interpreters Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1827.

Part of the District Court Administration Division of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.

• Total FY 2009313,969– 120 languages used

• Spanish 308,959

• Mandarin 1,545

• Vietnamese 987

• Portuguese 776

• Cantonese 733

• Korean 618

• Russian 594

• Arabic 556

• Haitian Creole 469

• Foochow 467

• Total FY 2008 282,721– 113 languages used

• Spanish 271,155

• Mandarin 1,299

• Vietnamese 1,156

• Arabic 901

• Cantonese 843

• Korean 835

• Russian 689

• Portuguese 588

• Mixteco Alto 467

• Foochow 389

Court Interpreting Events (District Courts)Court Interpreting Events (District Courts)

Currently considering an RFI (Request for information).

Help determine what groups of languages could be addressed.

Will study LOTS needs by language. Most difficult challenge since the program

began.

There are currently 98 staff interpreters in 20 districts.

Staff interpreters cover approximately 67 percent of the events in the District Courts.

Staff interpreters cover approximately 75 percent of the TIP events.

National Court Interpreter National Court Interpreter DatabaseDatabase

(information as of 5/12/10)

• Interpreters Listed 3,718– Spanish FCCI 1,029

• Total Number of Languages 151

Currently working to update information.

Moving towards a more automated system.

Will require an e-mail address. Working to create a portal through USCourts.gov.

The NCID is not shared outside the Judiciary.

Send an e-mail to:

NCID_help@ao.uscourts.gov

Written Examination in 2010 ◦ Registration: April 15, 2010 – June 15, 2010 at

5:00 p.m.◦ Examination administered: Saturday, August 21,

2010.◦ 34 Locations across the country based on the

needs of the courts for certified interpreters.◦ Information about the exam is available at:

http://www.ncsconline.org/D_Research/fcice_exam/index.htm

Exposure draft posted in 2009. Concerns regarding cancellation charges

for lengthy trials. Based on concerns, incorporated 48 hour

cancellation charge for matters scheduled for five days or more.

• Certified/Professionally Qualified• Full day: $388

• Half day: $210

• Overtime: $ 55 (per hour, after 8 hours)

• Language Skilled• Full day: $187

• Half day: $103

• Overtime: $ 32 (per hour, after 8 hours)

Court Interpreter Advisory Group (CIAG). Training for Coordinators for Interpreter

Services, July 2010. Allow access to updating the NCID records

via uscourts.gov. Telephone Interpreting Program (TIP) Survey. Court Interpreter Training Video for Judges. Evaluation of New TIP Technologies.

• Inconsistencies in the way interpreters are contracted by the courts.AO provides policy and guidance.Courts have discretion.Training planned for coordinators of interpreting

services in July 2010.Expecting almost 200 people from 94 courts.

Bob Faurot, Programs Branch Chief robert_faurot@ao.uscourts.gov

Javier A. Soler, FCCI, Interpreter Program Specialist

javier_soler@ao.uscourts.govCarolyn Kinney, PhD., Interpreter Program

Specialistcarolyn_kinney@ao.uscourts.gov

Robin E. Cole, Student Internrobin_cole@ao.uscourts.gov

202-502-1570