Mission Statement
 

In order to secure and protect the rights of persons who are unable to readily understand or communicate in the English language and cannot be protected in legal proceedings unless qualified interpreters are provided, the Nebraska Supreme Court creates the Interpreter Advisory Committee. The purpose of the committee shall be to create, evaluate and recommend statewide policies, rules and regulations of court and probation interpreting throughout the state.

The Interpreter Advisory Committee will address the following:
 

• Evaluate and monitor the orientation, skills training, and continuing education programs for all language court interpreters.
• Evaluate and monitor the education programs for judges and court staff regarding their use of interpreters.
• Evaluate and monitor the criteria and standards for testing and certification of court interpreters.
• Evaluate and monitor the criteria and standards for appointment of interpreters by the courts and probation offices.
• Evaluate and monitor the transcription of court documents, probation documents and video tapes of interpreted materials.
• Evaluate and make recommendations to the Nebraska Supreme Court for any amendments to the Interpreter Fee Schedule and Payment Policy.
• Evaluate the need and locations for on call interpreters, contract interpreters and employee interpreters.
• Create and evaluate a policy for bi-lingual employees who perform interpreter duties as a function of their employment.
• Evaluate and monitor the cost of the interpreting program and recommend potential measures of cost savings.
• Evaluate and make recommendations to the Nebraska Supreme Court for any amendments to the Supreme Court Rules Relating to Court Interpreters and Code of Professional Responsibility for Court Interpreters.
• Review actions taken under the provisions of rule 5, Rules Relating to Court Interpreters, relating to the discipline of interpreters.
• Take any further action that the committee determines appropriate for the improvement and betterment of the State Court Interpreting Program.

The Interpreter Advisory Committee shall encourage interpreters, judges, probation officers, members of the legal profession and other interested persons to provide information which will assist the Committee in the performance of their duty.

Origin/Authorization: Nebraska Supreme Court consultation minutes of September 14, 2005.

Terms: All terms to be served at the pleasure of the Court.