(A) Whenever an interpreter is required to be appointed by the Nebraska Judicial Branch, the State Court Administrator’s Office shall strive to appoint interpreters based on a determination of an interpreter’s reasonable availability and the purpose for which the interpreter is needed to ensure the most qualified and certified interpreter is being appointed.

   (B) Court proceedings for parties who appear with their own interpreter may be continued pending the court’s determination of language needs of the individual; the qualifications of the interpreter, which includes whether the interpreter meets the standards adopted by the Nebraska Judicial Branch; and the availability of a certified, provisionally certified, or registered interpreter. Provided, however,

   (1) In court proceedings in which a Spanish interpreter is utilized, only a certified or registered interpreter shall be allowed. 

   (2) In court proceedings in which an interpreter is utilized to interpret for a Deaf or hard of hearing person, only an interpreter qualified pursurant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2407 and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 20-150 et seq. shall be allowed.

   (C) Number of Interpreters. For any single court proceeding or probation service scheduled for 2 or more hours, two foreign language interpreters shall be appointed. For any single court proceeding or probation service scheduled for more than 1 hour, two Sign Language interpreters shall be appointed. For any single court proceeding or probation service lasting more than 2 hours, if two foreign or Sign Language interpreters are not reasonably available, the interpreter must be given a minimum of a 10-minute break every 30 minutes.

   (D) Rebuttable Presumption. There is a rebuttable presumption that an interpreter must be appointed if an interpreter is requested or it is shown that the person cannot readily understand or communicate in the English language.

   (E) All interpreters shall be at least 19 years of age, shall take the Interpreter Oath, and shall verify in writing that they have read and understand the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters prior to interpreting for the Nebraska Judicial Branch.

   (F) Individuals serving as interpreters for the Nebraska Judicial Branch, pursuant to these rules, shall not be considered employees of the Nebraska Judicial Branch.

   See Appendix 1 for Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters and Interpreter Oath.

[Originally numbered as] Rule 2(B)–(D) amended September 17, 2003; [originally numbered as] Rule 2(D) moved to (G) on January 4, 2007, effective July 1, 2007; [originally numbered as] Rule 2(D)–(F) adopted January 4, 2007, effective July 1, 2007; [originally numbered as] Rule 2(B)–(D) and (G) amended June 25, 2008, effective July 1, 2008. Renumbered and codified as § 6-703, effective July 18, 2008; § 6-703(A)-(C) and (E)-(H) amended October 21, 2009; § 6-703(A)-(D) amended March 16, 2011; § 6-701(A)-(C) amended May 16, 2012, effective July 1, 2012; § 6-703(E) amended November 26, 2014; § 6-703(E) and (F) amended April 14, 2021; § 6-703 amended June 12, 2024.