The best Court Reporters in Medford Oregon also have the right interpreters.
In this age of rapid globalization, and as the United States continues to embrace its ever-increasing diversity, it is inevitable that many lawyers and law firms will have the need to retain and utilize a foreign language interpreter for their depositions.
Important considerations abound when selecting an interpreter. The first thing to be aware of in hiring an interpreter is to know that there are different levels of training and certification. For depositions, only certified interpreters (licensed by the state and certified) should be used. This is true for most legal proceedings as well, although some courts are lax with the certification requirement. Certified interpreters must pass rigorous tests above and beyond what is required of non-certified interpreters.
Do not be tempted to hire a non-certified interpreter. Using a non-certified interpreter may be less expensive initially, but is it worth taking the risk of getting a lower-quality product for such an essential discovery deposition? Or worse, there is a real concern that the use of a non-certified interpreter can open up the deposition for attack later. In the long run, the non-certified interpreters can ultimately cost more because of constant disruptions and corrections from the check interpreter (opposing counsel’s interpreter). These interruptions will undoubtedly affect the court reporter’s ability to make a clean record.
The best way to hire an interpreter is by getting references from other trusted attorneys or court reporters. These individuals have seen the interpreters in action. Once you have narrowed the choices down, here are some essential questions to ask before hiring the interpreter:
- How much experience do they have with interpreting depositions that specifically involve the subject matter of the case?
- Have they interpreted in the specific city or country previously, to the extent that they are familiar with the nuances in the local protocol, geography, and terminology?
- What are their qualifications? (Many Asian interpreters label themselves the People’s Republic of China certified, Taiwan certified, etc., even though there is no such thing.)
- Do they understand that their role is as an officer of the court and that they need to maintain neutrality and accuracy without addition, embellishment, or omission?
- Do they understand that they should interpret in the first person?
- How many years have they been serving as a certified interpreter? Like anything else, experience counts.
- Have they worked with “check” interpreters before? They need to understand that their interpretation may be challenged and that they need to conduct themselves in a professional manner without arguing and wasting the time of the attorney examining the witness.
- Have they ever had to stop a deposition before the scheduled end time because the interpreter was tired or ill? Translating is an arduous task that can tire interpreters out well before the end of the scheduled close time.
Having great interpreters is just another thing that sets NAEGELI Deposition & Trial apart from other court reporters in the Medford area.
