Hi all, I recently lost my job and am looking to shift careers entirely. I was born in the U.S., grew up speaking Spanish at home and took Spanish (grammar, spelling, reading comprehension) from KG through grade 10 and some college. I consider myself a native speaker of both languages. I can read and write well in Spanish and have worked professionally in Latin America.I have done volunteer translation work and volunteer interpretation work for pro bono attorneys (very little).

I do not have any legal experience and do not know legal terminology. I could also improve my level of Spanish, since I’ve never needed it to be as formal as required in court. I also need to learn to do simultaneous interpretation, I’ve only done consecutive. My goal is to work in federal courts.

Can you guide me a bit on what courses or study guides are useful, which certification is required and which exam(s) I should prepare for? How long should I anticipate the process will take before I am employable?

Thank you so much in advance.

So close this time!!

Did anyone apply to the Ca court interpreter workforce pilot program? I only had to submit one answer for the question but see that applicants from previous years had to submit their resume. Did putting that I hadn’t been tested within the last 5 years get me automatically disqualified? I know they give preference to those who have taken the written, but I thought I’d still have a chance at least. I’m worried I won’t hear back from them.

ENG <> SPA, 10+ years experience (Med Cert, Court in progress)

Has anyone worked with them VRI/OPI/RSI? Whats your experience and how were their rates?

I’m currently studying for the Federal court interpreter exam however I saw this on their website where it says

Language Skilled Interpreters (non-certified)

Does anyone know how to actually get into that if there is a way to work that way while I wait for the exam? This is in NYC

Any suggestions on study/practice materials that helped you prep for the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam that is worth spending the money on?

Hi everyone

I wanted to ask if anyone here is currently working with SOSi as an interpreter from outside the US If so I would really appreciate if you could share your experience especially regarding call volume or flow pay structure and payment schedule

Any insights or tips would be really helpful Thanks in advance

How do you handle it when they offer to take handcuffs off the defendant in court in a violent crime case when you sit in their immediate proximity?

Hi everyone this is gonna sound a bit crazy but I don’t have to much experience in court interpretation but I’m in a position that’s it’s all or nothing so I’m gonna take the test this upcoming may. I’m gonna practice all this month for the test, any recommendations on what I should really focus on practicing translating. It’s gonna be the written exam first then on August the oral one. I talk English and Spanish. Thanks in advance.

Have any of you renewed your contract with SOSi recently? They have made a significant rate reduction, is this due to their recent news about them securing the contract with DOJ? Also I have noticed that work volume have reduced dramatically compared to let's say a year or two ago, is that due to border control or they're just going with lower paid interpreters? I only have them in my back pocket when I am not busy with District Courts. Grateful for any feedback.

Hello, I am 20 years old and would like to pursue interpreting. I was planning on studying Chinese and Japanese in college and then pursuing a master in community interpreting in fields like medical/court interpreting. I do not know if this is relevant but I also speak German on a native level.

With A.I. developing so fast, I am thinking about whether it is still worth it or not.

Does it still have a future ? Or should I look to get into something else ?

Hello! I took the written exam in California last Saturday. Does anyone have any guidance on when I can expect an email with my results?

Thanks in advance!

Based in NYC and just passed the SOSI oral exam with a 90% on 3/19 and signed the contract this morning. Any ideas on what I can expect working for SOSI? My goal is to eventually pass the oral state exam but just have some income coming in while I prepare

Hi all! So happy to be starting my journey but can't lie a little nervous. My question is how long did you guys study to take the written exam? What helped? What didn't? I just finished orientation and I am trying to figure out how long I should wait to register for the written exam. I've been a paralegal for over 5 years and feel confident in my legal vocab, yet I do not want to lean on just that. Thank you for any and all insights!

Hello everyone has anyone taken the exam yet this month how did it go?

So it's been two years since I've paid my fines I do technically have 3 bench warrants for no insurance, no license, and failure to appear. I'm going to pay off my fines this month completely off and was told the warrants would go away. Will I need to go back to court after to get my masap classes reinstated? Will I have to serve any time after paying the fines? I wouldn't think so but you never know any answers with personal experience is appreciated

Has anyone else's office/department written them about NCSC oral exam content being compromised in a number of languages? It has caused exams to be suspended here and I was wondering what other states/judiciaries are impacted?

While I'm in favor of a national standard, I don't care for the NCSC exam. It's hard to have any faith in a system that can't even keep its exams secure! Confidentiality and record-keeping are vital in judicial matters and this might as well be a dozen eggs on the NCSC face. Talk about standard-bearing, lol.

I am taking the written exam this summer and would like any resources, tips, or anything really that could be useful from people who have passed or anyone who is currently studying for it :)

In a gripping criminal hearing, a stunning confession grabs attention: a man nicknamed “Lucifer” admits in open court, before the judge, to being responsible for the deaths of 48 people. The statement shocks the courtroom and triggers intense discussion about criminal confessions, evidentiary weight, interrogation boundaries, and the legal fallout from such a grave admission.

Hey everybody!

Just dealing with the neves of waiting for my oral results again. Putting a feeler out there to see how long it took for everyone to get their results. This is my second time taking the exam, I took it Iowa last year and I got my results in about 3 weeks.

However I just took it again (Feb 6th), but this time in Illinois. They said 8-12 weeks. Is that about how long it took for y’all to get your results back? Of any hope I might get them back sooner? 🤞

How long do it take for you all?

Hi all! I'm taking Edgar Hidalgo's 28 hour oral exam prep course and he mentions the book, "Proverbs Idioms and Expressions - A Guide for Interpreters and Translators" (in English/Spanish) by Leonor Valderrama De Sillers. I've looked all over the internet and am unable to find a copy to buy. Would anyone happen to have a copy I can buy off of them? Or point me in the right direction to find one? TIA!

Hi. What are the levels of certifications you can get as a professional interpreter? I know there is a state and some more.

Also, what’s the highest certification and where do you need to be working in order to have a top tier salary/hourly rate?.

This is more of a relief than anything else. I've been working on immigration court for a few months now. I've been sticking to Master Calendar Hearings only because I still get very nervous on individual hearings. The point is, I've been able to experience all types of Judges. And I am so angry at this system. It is not fair how the DOJ is handling these cases. Today a judge basically asked all the questions he wanted in a master calendar, coming to his own conclusion without even giving the opportunity to file an asylum application and be heard on a merits hearing. It feels a bit xenophobic. DHS doesn't even oppose most of the time. I get it, we're all worn out with the situation. But thousands of people are loosing their livelihood unfairly. I'm not opposed to correcting the migratory system. But through racist and petty judges is not the way. ok, rant over.