Court Interpreting

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

New Court Interpreter Training and Testing Calendar of Events Coming Soon! 

Orientation Workshop and Oral Exam Calendars for FY 2024 - 2025 will be available July 1, 2024. 

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July 2023 - June 2024 Virtual Online Orientation Workshops 

The new July 2023 - June 2024 orientation workshop event calendar can be found on the Orientation Workshop Information page

Important information regarding additional orientation workshop schedule details, the orientation workshop registration materials, and an orientation workshop summary document can be found on the Orientation Workshop Information page.

Please be advised that space is limited, and all registration materials will be processed on a first-received basis.

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Written Examination 

Review the steps to register for the exam here: Written Exam Registration Steps

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July 2023 - June 2024 Oral Performance Examination and Oral Proficiency Interview  

The new July 2023 - June 2024 oral examination/interview event calendar can be found on the Oral Performance Exam and Oral Proficiency Interview Information page

Per National Center for State Courts protocol, candidates must wait a minimum of six (6) months before retaking the same version of an oral examination in a language in any state or territory.  (This applies to candidates retaking oral examinations in languages with multiple versions, as well as candidates retaking oral examinations in languages with only one version.)

Important information regarding additional oral exam schedule details, the oral exam registration materials, and an oral exam summary document can be found on the Oral Performance Exam and Oral Proficiency Interview Information page

Please be advised that space is limited, and all registration materials will be processed on a first-received basis. 

The State Courts System has developed a statewide program to assist judges and trial court administrators in assessing the qualifications of court interpreters. The Court Interpreter Certification and Regulation Program designates interpreters through the use of written and oral language proficiency examinations. The Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA) currently offers full oral qualifications examinations in the following languages: Amharic, Arabic, Cantonese, Filipino (Tagalog), French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Abbreviated oral examinations are offered in Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian and Turkish. State certification of interpreters was implemented on May 6, 2008, the designations of Language Skilled and Provisionally Approved were implemented on May 1, 2014.

Court Interpreter Update:  Amendments to the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 2.560 and 2.565

On December 8, 2016, the Florida Supreme Court issued in re:  Amendments to the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, (Fla. 2016)PDF Download, which approves a number of minor technical changes to Rule of Judicial Administration 2.560, and adopts new subdivision (f) of rule 2.565.  The amendments are effective immediately and may be summarized as follows:   

  • Rule 2.560 (e)(3) is amended to add a reference to subdivision (e)(2) to clarify that only after determining a certified, language skilled, or provisionally approved interpreter is unavailable and further finding a registered interpreter is unavailable, may a nonregistered interpreter be appointed.
  • Subdivision (e)(5) of rule 2.560 is amended to add a reference to subdivision (e)(2), as it may otherwise appear only appointments made under subdivision (e)(3) are subject to the requirement that additional findings must be made in subsequent proceedings.
  • Subdivision (f) is added to rule 2.565 to provide explicit direction as to submission, filing, and service of the written declaration required in exceptional circumstances as provided under subdivisions (d) and (e). Though there is a preference that such declaration be executed prior to the proceeding to which the written declaration is relevant, it is recognized that circumstances may make that impossible or impracticable so procedures for after-event compliance are specified.

To access all related case filings in SC15-1594, please refer to the following case docket webpage at:  http://onlinedocketssc.flcourts.org/DocketResults/CaseByYear?CaseNumber=1594&CaseYear=2015.

 Quick Reference Links:

Are you up to date?

In order to receive program announcements and important updates, program participants must notify CICRP program staff of your current mailing and e-mail address within thirty days of a change. Update requests should be submitted in writing by sending an e-mail to interpreters@flcourts.org, a facsimile to 850-414-1342, or by mail to Court Interpreter Certification and Regulation Program, Florida Supreme Court Building, 500 S. Duval Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399.

Links of Interest

Last Modified: March 21, 2024