Basic Deposition Interpreter Rules in united states and NY

The importance of deposition interpreter services in the U.S. in 2020 can’t be underestimated.  

At present, the U.S. is home to 77 million non-native English speakers. The Constitution guarantees all of these people to a fair trial. However, wrongful incarcerations arising due to language barriers are increasingly common.  

 

At Languagers, we help prevent wrongful convictions, by providing on-demand certified court and deposition interpreter services. The only question is, what basic rules should attorneys follow when working with interpreters? 

Deposition Interpreter Rules and General Guidance 

If you are an attorney working with a deposition interpreter for the first time, you might feel a little out of your depth. Thankfully, our court interpreters at Languagers have come up with a few basic guidelines for attorneys, attorney clients, and opposing counsel, for when working with interpreters.  

Avoid Cheap Deposition Interpreter Services 

As a basic rule, attorneys should never hire cheap deposition interpreter whose credentials can’t be independently verified. 

 

Attorneys usually have to cover the cost of hiring deposition interpreters themselves. This can make it tempting to hire the cheapest interpreters available. However, this can also put you at risk of hiring an under-qualified interpreter. 

Always Forward Notices of Deposition to Interpreters    

At Languagers, we take pride in being able to provide deposition interpreters to attorneys all across the U.S., even on short notice. However, as soon as we pair you with a suitable interpreter, you must send them a copy of your notice of deposition. 

 

An interpreter will need this to familiarize themselves with the basic details of depositions, as well as case-specific legal terminology.  

Make Sure to Brief Clients on the Role of an Interpreter 

Before starting work with a deposition interpreter, attorneys must make it clear to their clients that interpreters must remain impartial. 

 

It is normal for people who are unable to communicate in English, to attempt small talk with interpreters. However, during depositions, several basic deposition interpreter rules must be followed. 

• Under no circumstances should attorney clients attempt to have personal conversations with interpreters. 
• Attorney clients should be advised to avoid using humor or colloquialisms when answering deposition questions. 
• Ideally, attorney clients should be asked to speak in short bursts and not talk over interpreters or opposing counsel.
• Attorney clients should be advised to give short, honest, factual answers to questions, not embellish answers with unnecessary details. 
• In every case, it must be made clear to clients that interpreters cannot accept gifts, money, or invitations to meet after depositions are over.   

Most importantly of all, attorney clients should be advised to always answer questions in a way that directly addresses opposing counsel, not deposition interpreters.  

Deposition Interpreter Rules for Opposing Counsel 

After briefing clients on how to interact with interpreters, attorneys should also discuss upcoming depositions with opposing counsel. 

 

Like attorney clients, opposing counsel should be asked not to use humor or colloquialisms, or talk over clients when asking questions. Examining attorneys should also be made aware of any cultural habits clients might have which might imply evasiveness by accident. 

 

In some cultures, it is considered rude not to pause before answering a question. Likewise, there are some words and phrases which have no equivalent in English. Examing attorneys, should, therefore, be asked to be mindful of potential cultural and linguistic differences during depositions. 

Looking for Deposition Interpreter Services in NY or Statewide? 

At Languagers, we provide highly experienced legal interpreters to attorneys and courtrooms all across the United States. In most cases, we can also do so in under 24-hours. 

Do you need to hire an interpreter? If so, contact one of our team now by clicking here.

    

Deposition Interpreter Services - How to Hire a Court Interpreter

 

When hiring a deposition interpreter, it is of paramount importance that you only hire a certified or qualified translator with existing court experience.

Thankfully, our team at Languagers can connect you with certified interpreters who have both the skills and the experience you need to trust that your deposition will be interpreted 100% accurately. Here, we’ll look at how our hiring process works. 

Key Points to Consider When Hiring a Deposition Interpreter service

Hiring a deposition interpreter requires more due diligence than when hiring a translator to translate dialogue in general business contexts. First and foremost, it is imperative that you hire a certified interpreter with independently verifiable qualifications and interpreting experience. 

• Hiring interpreters who have passed written and oral proficiency tests will give you a basic assurance that your deposition will be translated accurately. 
• Any deposition translator you hire must be familiar with the context and proper use of legal terminology that applies to your case. 
• Ideally, an interpreter will have a formal qualification in legal studies.

At Languagers, we only hire court and deposition interpreters who meet all of the above criteria to provide professional interpreter services in 50 States. More importantly, we can provide certified legal interpreters who are proficient in a wide variety of languages. These include uncommon languages like Korean, Polish, and Hungarian as well as American sign language. 

How to Start Working With a Deposition Interpreter 

At Languagers, we make hiring certified or qualified deposition and court interpreters altogether easy. However, working relationships with deposition translators are often structured very differently to working relationships with regular business interpreters. 

In every case, a certified or qualified interpreter you work with will need to see a copy of your or your client’s notice of deposition. This will allow your translator to familiarize themselves with the context of your deposition and any specific legal terminology.  

After forwarding your notice of deposition to your interpreter, you must also make yourself available to answer any questions your translator might have. These may concern the background, profession, and character of a person giving testimony.   

 

Why Do Deposition Interpreters Require So Much Information?

The more information you can provide a court or deposition interpreter with about your client or your case, the more accurately they will be able to interpret testimony in court. 

• When interpreting a deposition, an interpreter is required to speak in the first person as the witness themself.
•  Interpreting in the first person means that translators must speak in the same way a witness does naturally. This means reflecting their mannerisms, level of education, and personality, etc.
•  In court, interpreters must not summarize or give their own interpretation of what a witness is saying. As close as can be, translations of spoken dialogue must be word for word. 

Always Anticipate Hiring Interpreters for Longer Than You Might Expect

During depositions, it is common for court proceedings and preparing for court proceedings to take longer than you might expect. For this reason, it is always advisable to make allowances for extra time when working with interpreters. 

Thankfully, at Languagers, we make it possible to hire legal and deposition interpreters who you can work with remotely if necessary using apps like Zoom. This being the case, we can help keep interpretation costs to a minimum, even when court proceedings might take longer than anticipated. 

Do you need to hire a fully certified deposition interpreter? If so, find out how we can connect you with the right interpreter quickly by Clicking Here.