The need for court interpreters continues to increase across the state of Nebraska, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited English proficient court and probation users rely upon Nebraska’s qualified court interpreters to tell their own stories in their own words.

The Language Access Team provided an informative, interactive, and socially distanced Court Interpreter Orientation, the weekend of August 8 and 9 at the Judicial Branch Education building in Lincoln.

Twenty-four aspiring court interpreters from six Nebraska communities collectively speaking seven different languages arrived Saturday and Sunday morning and actively engaged for 16 hours of high energy and demanding training. All wore masks and practiced social distancing throughout the sessions. Nebraska’s State Court Interpreter Coordinators, Adrian Hinojosa (Omaha), Vladimir Bazan (Lincoln), and Olivia Brockman (Papillion), joined Statewide Language Access Coordinator Jennifer Verhein (AOCP-Lincoln) to provide a hands-on introduction to the ethics and modes of court interpretation. 

The 24 talented participants who speak English and at least one additional language have completed the first of three required steps for court interpreter certification. Next up is the 135-question multiple-choice Interpreter written exam, scheduled in five communities across Nebraska during September.

Photo: Tables set for socially-distanced court interpreter training at the Judicial Branch Education Building in Lincoln