Qualified Court Interpreters Scarce in Pennsylvania
With a growing Hispanic population, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, needs more Spanish-speaking interpreters for court proceedings, says bilingual Allentown lawyer David Vaida. He adds, "It's something that is not high on people's agenda because there are other things about running a courthouse that are [considered to be] more important." Currently, the county has only one full-time Spanish interpreter. It works with Language Trends, an Allentown-based interpreting service, to handle the case load. In 2007, Pennsylvania enacted standards for court interpreters to ensure accuracy and quality. Language Trends President Eihab Sewidan says the new standards may be keeping qualified interpreters from working in court, but he believes they are needed. According to Sewidan, "Before then, anyone could walk into a court and say 'I am an interpreter'." The process for becoming a certified court interpreter in Pennsylvania can take up to a year.
From "Qualified Spanish Interpreters in Short Supply for Northampton County Courts"
Lehigh Valley Live (PA) (05/18/09) Buck, Michael
Source: ATA Newsbriefs - May 2009
