First Arabic Court Interpreter Certified in Ohio

With more than 25,000 legal proceedings requiring the services of a legal interpreter each year, Ohio began its certification program in 2010; by 2013 the state’s judicial system will require that a certified legal interpreter be provided to anyone who requests one.

Certification ensures that a legal interpreter meets the minimum standards of fluency and will provide high-quality services in court. Each legal interpreter sworn in during the January ceremony had passed oral and written examinations as well as orientation training that covered ethics, legal procedures and specialized terminology for the courtroom.

The Arabic interpreter sworn in during this ceremony said that it was a “dream come true” to become certified. She finds her work fulfilling and interesting and continues to broaden her vocabulary and language skills every day. The Ohio Supreme Court Justice in the video spoke of the state’s commitment to ensuring that every citizen understands what is happening during court proceedings in order to allow the “equal access to justice under the law” promised by the Constitution.

The interpreters shown here are part of a team that provides legal interpreting in Spanish, Russian and American Sign Language. They will soon be joined by legal interpreters working in Korean and the Somali languages.

If you are fluent in English, Arabic or any other language, no matter how unusual, and are interested in becoming a legal interpreter, Affordable Language Services offers training programs for legal and medical interpreting in Dayton. Start an exciting career in interpreting and you, too, can experience a “dream come true.”

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