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Federal Courts Implement Remote Simultaneous Interpreting

 

Update from:

2004 Annual Report of the Director
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Program Management and Technology


Telephone Interpreting

The Telephone Interpreting Program (TIP) provides remote interpretation in short proceedings where certified or otherwise qualified court interpreters are not locally available. In fiscal year 2004, TIP services were used in over 3,200 events in 46 languages. Spanish was used for 90 percent of the telephone interpreting events. There were 33 user courts in fiscal year 2004, including services within districts to outlying court locations. The four courts that provide these services are the Central District of California, District of New Mexico, Southern District of Florida, and District of Columbia . Staff interpreters handled 67 percent of the telephone interpreting proceedings, and 33 percent of the proceedings were handled by contract interpreters. The total savings as a result of telephone interpreting in fiscal year 2004 are estimated in excess of $975,000.

Issue:

How to deliver quality English/Spanish simultaneous interpreting to geographically remote areas using federally certified staff interpreters.

Program:

In 1991, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, in Washington, D.C., funded a pilot project in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The goal of the project was to build an interpreter console, test the delivery of remote simultaneous interpreting services for in-court and out-of-court proceedings, and keep statistics of how the system was used. One federally certified staff interpreter was assigned to the project. Using the equipment developed for this application, the staff interpreter developed techniques for two line remote interpreting and handled the following quantity and type of hearings (*):

   FY91  FY92  FY93  FY94  FY95  FY96

 In-Court
 4  50  87  226  260  403
 Out-of-Court  16  45  161  187  177  240

During 1996, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts acknowledged the positive reception of remote simultaneous interpreting for court hearings (change of pleas, pretrial and presentencing interviews, attorney/client conferences) from the participating district courts - including federal judges, district attorneys and court clerks. The Administrative Office recognized cost savings by having staff interpreters provide remote interpreting services throughout the country (outside of their own district) thus improving a staff interpreter's utilization.

Once the AO saw the positive results obtained with one staff interpreter and the remote interpreting technology, they decided to expand the program to other districts with staff interpreters. A prototype interpreter console was developed and approved. Ten consoles were purchased and deployed to the participating districts. Each district agreed to assist the interpreter in Las Cruces for national events, when they could, and use the console for in-district uses at their discretion.

For proficiency in remote interpreting, each participating district sent an interpreter to Las Cruces for a few days of observation and coaching, on real and simulated events. They then returned home with the equipment.

Conclusion:

The US Court's remote simultaneous interpreting program works well and is used often for in-court and out-of-court proceedings. Most proceedings are under one hour duration.

*-From Administrative Office of the US Courts, published for 1997 Federal Clerk's Workshop, Baltimore, MD.