Statewide Register of Interpreters

Statewide Register of Interpreters

Court Staff, Probation Staff and Court-Ordered Mediation

If an interpreter is needed during business hours, court and probation personnel need to email all interpreter requests to the Operations Team with the county name in the subject line.  Court and probation personnel should not be contacting the interpreters directly and scheduling interpreter services. The only exception is for unplanned probation needs outside of normal business hours.

The initial request needs to contain all the following information:

  • Language
  • Date
  • Start time of all court ordered meetings/hearings or probation activities
  • Name
  • Case Number
  • Charges
  • Courtroom #
  • Hearing Type
  • Judge's Name
  • Attorney's Name and/or PO's Name
  • Meeting Type (PSI, PDI, FTM…)
  • Expected Duration
  • Address where the interpreter needs to go
  • Contact person info

Court personnel should follow this formal request process even if the judge or clerk magistrate asked the interpreter on the record if they are available for the next court date.  This will ensure the Language Access Program can confirm an interpreter has been scheduled and ensure they are paid for their services. ​

Attorneys

The Language Access Program does not pay interpreters used to facilitate communication between an attorney and client outside of the hearing.  Interpreters can assist with brief conversations if time allows.  As a rule, attorneys should contract with interpreters when they need to meet with their clients to discuss their case, court processes, and strategy.  Use the Statewide Register of Interpreters to reach out to the interpreters for their current rates and availability. 

“To address these needs, the Nebraska Legislature, under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 and LB1014, set aside $500,000 in federal funds for Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24 to reimburse expenses incurred in the provision of qualified, licensed sign language interpreters (whether on-site or remote) throughout the state (including Lincoln and Omaha) to provide effective communication access services between attorneys and deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing individuals outside of the courtroom.”  Click here for more information or contact the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  

Mental Health Board Hearings, Non-Court Ordered Mediation and State agencies

The Language Access Program does not pay for the interpreter when they are needed for Mental Health Board hearings, non-court ordered mediation or by other state agencies.  Use the Statewide Register of Interpreters to reach out to the interpreters for their current rates and availability.  

Workers Compensation Court

The Language Access Program will pay for the interpreter, but it is the employer’s obligation to schedule the interpreter.  Use the Statewide Register of Interpreters to find and secure an interpreter.  Please note that the Nebraska Supreme Court rule on interpreter payment rate must be adhered to, otherwise payment may be denied.    

Language(s) Name Type City Phone Email
Afrikaans Jacques Du Plessis Non-certified Kemmerer, WY 414-393-8937 Email
Akateco, Q'anjobal Juana Diego Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-378-0437 Email
Akateco, Q'anjobal, Chuj Victor Enrique Lopez Diego Non-certified Los Angeles, CA 213-725-6567 Email
Akateco, Chuj, Q'anjobal Juan de Juan Mateo Non-certified Los Angeles, CA 213-247-4247 Email
Albanian Anila Mayhew Non-certified New London, OH 509-302-8962 Email
American Sign Language Kathy Rocco Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-201-7704 Email
American Sign Language Kelly Brakenhoff Certified Lincoln, NE 402-440-5237 Email
American Sign Language Pamela Duncan Certified Omaha, NE 402-578-2408 Email
American Sign Language Jamy Elker Certified Omaha, NE 402-203-3905 Email
American Sign Language Maureen Larsen Certified Gretna, NE 402-213-8018 Email
American Sign Language Margaret Propp Certified Lincoln, NE 402-314-3182 Email
American Sign Language Katrina Watton Certified Omaha, NE 402-570-8802 Email
Amharic, Tigrinya, Italian Noel Abraham Non-certified Hawthorene, CA 310-500-6131 Email
Oromo, Amharic Ashenafi Ejjigu Non-certified Omaha, NE 651-399-2230 Email
Amharic, Tigrinya Peter Gebre Non-certified Rockville, MD 202-441-7504 Email
Amharic, Tigrinya Selam Legesse Non-certified Washington, DC 202-299-4958 Email
Arabic, French Sarah Al Kasaby Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-517-1662 Email
Arabic Yaser Eddmeiri Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-525-4256 Email
Arabic, Kurdish Khalaf Hesso Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-310-3703 Email
Arabic, Kurdish, Sudanese Arabic Salim Merza Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-321-3361 Email
Arabic, Sudanese Arabic Tara Trindle Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-649-1352 Email
Arabic, Hindi, Persian/Farsi/Dari, Punjabi, Urdu Sajjad Hamandi Registered Washington, DC 717-253-7632 Email
Arabic Sawasan Abugosseia Certified Prospect, KY 502-553-1521 Email
Arabic Amine El Fajri Certified Salt Lake City, UT 801-326-9525 Email
Arabic Gila Khabbaza Certified Odenton, MD 917-837-6902 Email
Persian/Farsi/Dari, Armenian (Eastern) Suzelle Aghamalian Non-certified Chagrin Falls, OH 440-364-0300 Email
Azerbaijani (Northern & Southern), Persian/Farsi/Dari, Tajik, Turkish Manouchehr Mahmoudzadeh Non-certified Fair Oaks, CA 916-969-0889 Email
Liberian, Krio, Bassa Lois Akumeh Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-560-1124 Email
Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Elvis Acic Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-202-5819 Email
Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Amila Tanovic-Muslic Registered Lincoln, NE 402-770-1455 Email
Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Janja Pavetic-Dickey Certified Lawrence, KS 785-393-7823 Email
Burmese, Karen Starbright Judson Non-certified Omaha, NE 531-777-2066 Email
Burmese, Karen Sunkist Judson Non-certified Omaha, NE 531-215-3299 Email
Burmese, Karen Hsa Min Non-certified Carter Lake, IA 402-203-4445 Email
Burmese, Karen Morics Moo Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-871-9991 Email
Burmese Kham Noam Nang Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-770-7256 Email
Burmese, Hakha Chin Rose Shee Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-591-0248 Email
Cambodian Vannara Lim Non-certified Tacoma, WA 253-678-9270 Email
CART Mydge Heaney Omaha, NE 402-889-2950 Email
Certified Deaf Interpreter Shawn Shannon Certified Omaha, NE 402-999-6440 TEXT ONLY Email