How to become a court interpreter?

The most important qualifications to work as a court interpreter are fluency in at least two languages, including English, and the ability to translate quickly. Most court interpreters have a bachelor’s degree in a foreign language, though this may not be required for those who were raised in a bilingual household. You must be fluent beyond the basic conversational level with a strong grasp of modern usage of both languages, legal terminology, technical language, and the vernacular. Some court interpreters take specialized courses that focus on the intersection between legal language, English, and a second language. There are several court interpreter certifications that may be helpful both for employment and for maintaining strong legal language skills in multiple languages. Interpreters need to have good interpersonal skills and be strong communicators. Because being in a courtroom can be a difficult experience, especially for people who are uncomfortable speaking or understanding English, court interpreters need to be able to make people feel comfortable and confident that they are accurately translating.