Latest Articles
Featured Posts
Oct 28, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan Interpreting in Mental Health Sessions and Psychological Evaluations: What to Arrange Before the First Appointment
In mental health work, how a patient speaks is part of the clinical evidence. How to arrange interpreting so the clinician hears the patient as the patient speaks.
Read More
Oct 26, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan The Check Interpreter: Why Counsel Brings a Second Interpreter to a Deposition
The transcript of an interpreted deposition records what the interpreter said, not what the witness said. A check interpreter is how counsel catches an error while it can still be fixed.
Read More
Oct 23, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan Phone, Video, or In Person: How to Figure Out Which Interpreter You Need
Courts, health care interpreting groups, and the national association of sign language interpreters have published guidance on which interpreting format fits which conversation. Start from the room and scale back.
Read More
Oct 19, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan Why a Good Interpreter Will Not Clean Up Your Witness's Testimony
An interpreter who smooths out a witness's answers is not helping. Accuracy means rendering what was said, exactly, because the record and the witness's credibility depend on it.
Read More
Oct 16, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan South Carolina Replaces Two Interpreter Credential Tiers With Five: What Counsel Should Verify
The order took effect on October 1. A South Carolina court interpreter described as certified can now hold any of five qualifications, and the word alone no longer tells you which.
Read More
Oct 15, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan The EEOC's Walmart Interpreter Case: What It Means for Meetings, Investigations, and HR Records
The federal complaint is about a daily shift meeting, not a deposition. The accommodation it turns on is the one most employers handle informally, and the statute names it.
Read MoreMore Articles
Recent Posts
Zoom and Teams Interpretation: What the Platform Gives You, and What It Does Not
Both platforms now carry interpretation features, and both solve the same half of the problem. The audio routing is handled. The person on the channel is not.
How to Choose an Interpreting Company in Los Angeles: A Buyer's Guide
Six questions that separate an agency that can carry a Los Angeles court record from one that can only fill a seat. In the order a firm should ask them.
Certified Deaf Interpreter: How to Know Your Case Needs One Before the Deposition
Some deaf witnesses sign in a way one hearing ASL interpreter cannot fully follow. That is when a case may need a Certified Deaf Interpreter working as a team, and the time to find out is at intake, not mid-deposition.
The Interpreter Who Explains the Culture Is a Liability
An interpreter who explains a witness's culture to the judge has traded a fact for a guess and put it on the record as expertise. Neutrality means rendering behavior, not diagnosing it.
Two Interpreters, One Record: The New NAJIT Guideline on Team Interpreting
NAJIT's May 2026 guideline calls for two interpreters once a legal proceeding may run past 30 minutes of continuous simultaneous or 60 minutes of continuous consecutive interpreting, and it names depositions, arbitrations, and mediations.
Non-Negotiable: California Moves to Cap What Courts Pay Contract Interpreters
The Judicial Council has proposed making contract court interpreter rates non-negotiable and capped at the federal level, with an interpreter who declines the rate treated as unavailable. What that changes for hearings, trials, and the private side.
Archive
View All Posts
139 more articles on interpreting, language access, and compliance.
Taking a Deposition in Texas: The Interpreter Credential Does Not Travel
A California certified court interpreter holds no Texas license. And a Texas licensed court interpreter may hold a basic license that does not cover the court your case is in.
The Interpreter Interrupted the Deposition. That Is a Good Sign.
When an interpreter asks a witness to slow down or repeat, they are protecting your record, not slowing your case. A good interpreter is unobtrusive. Unobtrusive is not the same as silent.
Asylum Interview Interpreters: What Counsel Must Confirm Before the Date
USCIS does not provide an interpreter at an affirmative asylum interview. A friend or family member can serve, if they are not disqualified and are genuinely fluent. Allowed is not the same as adequate.
A Murder Conviction Overturned Because the Interpreter Spoke the Wrong Chinese
In March 2025 the Ontario Court of Appeal set aside a second-degree murder conviction and ordered a new trial. The interpreter for the first half of the trial spoke Cantonese. The defendant spoke Taishanese.
Court Exhibits in Another Language: What Gets the Translation Admitted
A foreign-language document does not become an exhibit because someone translated it. The translation carries its own foundation requirement, and opposing counsel gets to test it.
North Carolina's Court Interpreter Walkout: What It Means for Hearings, Calendars, and Clients
North Carolina's certified court interpreters began refusing assignments at the end of July over contract rates frozen since 2022. A statewide work stoppage is set for August 31 and a Superior Court trial boycott for September 1.
The Interpreter Rule You Are Responsible For: A Bar Ethics Opinion Puts the Duty on the Lawyer
A 2026 state bar ethics opinion says the duty to bridge a language gap belongs to the lawyer, not the client. It also sets conditions on using family members and on machine translation.
When Spanish Is the Wrong Interpreter: Indigenous Language Rights and Best Practice in U.S. Courts
A client from Guatemala or southern Mexico may speak working Spanish and still not be a Spanish speaker. Courts have been booking the wrong interpreter for decades, and the convictions that followed show what it costs.
Arbitration Interpreters: What Counsel Should Settle Before the First Hearing Day
Arbitration has no court-supplied interpreter and a far narrower path to challenge the award. That combination puts the interpreter decision on counsel. Here's what to settle, in Q&A form, before day one.
Academic Document Translation: What You Need, In What Order
Certified translation and credential evaluation are two separate services. Submitting one in place of the other is the most common reason an academic file gets rejected.
Translated Medical Records in Litigation: What Personal Injury and Med-Mal Counsel Should Verify
A translated medical record carries a diagnosis, a dosage, and a timeline into evidence. If the translation drifts, the expert is defending testimony the chart never said. Here is what to verify, in Q&A form.
Apostille or Notarization? What Attorneys Should Know Before a Translated Document Crosses a Border
Notarization and an apostille are not the same step, and neither one certifies that a translation is accurate. Here is what each does, in Q&A form, before the document leaves the country.
The Certificate of Accuracy: What Attorneys Should Check Before a Translated Document Reaches Discovery
A certificate of accuracy is a signed statement the translator will defend under oath, not a stamp. Here is what should be on it, in Q&A form, before the packet ships.
A $27 Million Lawsuit Over One Mistranslated Lyric: What The Lion King Case Should Teach Attorneys About Translation on the Record
A federal complaint filed in California over a mistranslated Lion King chant seeks $27 million in damages. The case is entertainment news. The lesson is about who is trusted to speak for your client.
Only 1,400 Federally Certified Court Interpreters Nationwide: What August's Exam Means for Your Federal Case
Fewer than 1,400 federally certified court interpreters are active nationwide. The August 2026 FCICE oral exam caps registration at 400, and the historical pass rate is 7 to 10 percent.
Immigration Court Interpreters: What Law Firms Should Verify Before the Hearing
Immigration courts are moving faster with more cases per judge. What firms representing non-English-speaking clients should verify before booking an interpreter, before the hearing, and before the record.
The Most Trustworthy Thing an Interpreter Can Say Is: I Am Not the Right Interpreter for This
A qualified court interpreter will withdraw from an assignment they cannot render accurately. That willingness is the sign of a professional, and it protects your case.
Confidential Translation: What In-House Counsel Should Verify Before Sending the Documents
In-house counsel choose translation vendors on speed. The real constraint is chain of custody. What to verify before sending M&A, IP, or sealed documents.
Protect Your Next Assignment
Share the date, language, and setting. We'll confirm coverage and provide a quote within 4 hours.