Following the Aug. 29 Examiner report, “Swift hand of justice delayed by need for local translation services,” Jefferson County courts have reported multiple bilingual residents have come forward offering their services; however, they remain hopeful for a larger response following a recent pay increase.
Sept. 10, Jefferson County Commissioners approved increasing the reimbursement rate for non-certified interpreter service from $100 per half day to $200 per half day effective Oct. 1.
This decision came as the judicial system faces significant delays and increased expenses due to the rising demand for translation services in courtrooms locally and across the nation. According to Jefferson County Criminal District Court Judge John Stevens, Jefferson County is no exception.
“I’ve got to go to Houston to get certified translators,” said Stevens. “We are struggling, and, we have these hearings about every third Friday.”
According to the Professional Services Agreement between Jefferson County and MasterWord Services Inc, the contracted professional linguist service provider, translation services cost the county as much as $221.20 per hour for a Master Licensed Legal linguist to provide court in-person interpreting. Hourly rates are based on certification level and the urgency of the booking; however, it is reasonable to say that those interested in providing certified services could potentially earn around $100 per hour for trial translations.
Although only the highest level of certification is utilized for trials, other instances require much less, such as the non-certified interpretation service, which recently received a 100% increase in pay.
The criminal court isn’t the only courtroom in need of translators, either. As explained by court personnel, the Houston-based MasterWord Services agency is also utilized in the District Clerk’s office to support passport production, as well as in the family courts of Jefferson County – where translators are most needed. The local users “do not get to pick who comes by,” but all that have been sent have been used.
For those interested in becoming a Licensed Court Interpreter in Texas, the first step is to complete a six-hour orientation accredited by the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC). After the orientation, individuals can apply to take the written exam. The last exam for the year is scheduled for Oct. 15 with a registration deadline of Sept. 15. More information on licensing can be found at https://www.txcourts.gov/jbcc/licensed-court-interpreters/.