State Judiciary Seeking Court Interpreter Applicants

The state’s court system is accepting applications for individuals who speak English and another language and are interested in becoming court interpreters.

Mandatory two-day orientation workshops will be held across the state in February and March. Big Island workshops include one scheduled for Feb. 14-15 at the Driver’s Education Office in Kona and another from Feb. 28 to March 1 at the Hilo Courthouse.

The deadline for registration is Jan. 15. Registration forms are available at the Judiciary’s website and from the Office on Equality and Access to the Courts at 808-539-4860.

Certified sign-language interpreters are also encouraged to apply.

The workshop registration fee is $75. A grant from the Hawaii Women’s Legal Foundation and Hawaii Friends of Justice and Civic Education is being used to lower the cost from the original $120 fee.

Court interpreters work on a freelance basis as independent contractors in cases when parties or witnesses are unable to hear, understand, speak or use English sufficiently. Depending on their performance on written and oral exams, court interpreters are paid between $25 to $55 per hour with a two-hour minimum.

In addition to successfully completing the orientation workshop, persons seeking to become a state court interpreter must pass a written English proficiency exam and court interpreter ethics exam and clear a criminal background check.

For more information, contact the Judiciary’s public affairs office at 808-539-4909 or via email at [email protected].