Over 35% of Deaf Interpreters provide interpreting services for legal proceedings. For about 15% of Deaf Interpreters legal interpreting makes up the majority of their work.
There is much evidence in case law supporting the essential role of Deaf Interpreters in court proceedings and many state laws require or allow the provision of Deaf Interpreters, particularly in legal settings.
The NCIEC Legal Interpreting Work Team member Carla Mathers, Esq., SC:L, CSC, researched and wrote a legal analysis titled The Deaf interpreter in court: An accommodation that is more than reasonable. This document is a must-read for all interpreters, as well as attorneys, judges, police, medical and mental healthcare providers, and advocates.
Also of interest is Best Practices: American Sign Language and English Interpreting within Court and Legal Settings, a synthesis of the research conducted by the Legal Interpreting Work Team written by Kellie Stewart, Anna Witter-Merithew, and Margaret Cobb.
The Judicial Council of California Administrative Office of the Courts published Recommended guidelines for the use of Deaf intermediary interpreters to support effective utilization of Deaf interpreters in court proceeding.
Download: The Deaf Interpreter in Court: An Accommodation that is more than reasonable
Download: Best Practices: American Sign Language and English Interpreting within Court and Legal Settings.
Download: Recommended guidelines for the use of Deaf Intermediary Interpreters.
For more publications and products of the NCIEC Legal Interpreting Work Team, visit interpretereducation.org.