Web Exclusive: A need for words

Access to justice can mean a multitude of things, like providing transportation, attorneys and language assistance. 

Interpreters were used 67,054 times in fiscal year 2024, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court. 

The state has more than 180 certified and qualified court interpreters in a variety of languages. 

Language Access Program Manager Manpreet Kaur said there is a growing need for court interpreters.

“We will never turn down court interpreters or candidates that want to go through a program,” Kaur said. 

She added that the state can always use more Spanish, Burmese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Punjabi and ASL interpreters. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreters and translators are expected to see job growth of about 4% in the next 10 years which is average for all occupations. 

The U.S. Court reported in its 2022 annual report that interpreters were used in 138,738 federal court proceedings. Spanish was the top language interpreted in 132,571 court proceedings, and Mandarin was second being interpreted in 1,140 court proceedings. 

The role of the interpreter

Spanish interpreter Vivian Kurzendoerfer has worked in Marion County for 15 years. 

Kurzendoerfer first heard about interpreters from her kid’s Spanish teacher. She said she Googled it and found the certification program online.  

“I just signed up for it and thought, ‘Oh, this is right up my alley’,” Kurzendoerfer said. 

She added that it is not just the legal vocabulary the interpreters have to know but medical vocabulary as well. 

“Not everybody who can speak two languages can be an interpreter because you have to think fast on your feet when someone is talking. So it’s not easy for everybody to quickly, especially the simultaneous interpretation that can be hard for people when they’re speaking fast or when the subject matter is complicated,” Kurzendoerfer said.

She described herself as a word nerd, loving what she does. 

In 2019, she moved to Florida part-time. When the COVID-19 global pandemic altered the world, courts had to adjust. Kurzendoerfer was able to keep working by interpreting in video calls. 

She said a lot of cases have moved back to in-person, but civil cases tend to be the ones she interprets from remotely. 

In her 15 years of interpreting, she said that the amount of cases needing interpreters hasn’t decreased. 

“It’s not that it’s more, but it hasn’t declined,” Kurzendoerfer said.

She added that what has surprised her the most was in situations when the defendant understands some English, as they sometimes answer before she even gets to interpret. This happens especially with yes or no questions. 

The judges will wonder why the defendant asked for an interpreter. 

“I always have to remind (judges), no, they can understand a little bit, but they may not be able to put their thoughts into words, and that is a hard concept for the judges to know,” Kurzendoerfer said.

Kurzendoerfer explained that there are different dialects and words unique to someone’s region. Being from Puerto Rico, Kurzendoerfer’s first language is Spanish. 

She has a friend who is from Spain and her first language is Spanish as well, but they both know different words in their language. 

“We learn a lot from each other. We’re nerds,” Kurzendoerfer said. 

She said the hardest thing for interpreters is getting people to pause when telling a story. 

“I have a couple of other jobs that I do, and one of them being a realtor in Florida, but it’s interpreting that I like the best,” Kurzendoerfer said. 

Language Access Program 

Kaur added that much like Kurzendoerfer’s work changed since the pandemic, so has the program to certify interpreters. 

The program previously was all in-person but now it has changed to involve training over Zoom. 

“This has really allowed folks from across the state to be able to attend our program and join our program,” Kaur said. 

She explained that she does community outreach and goes to college campuses to get more interpreters and spread the word about the program. 

The difference between qualified and certified interpreters depends on the language. Kaur explained that for some languages they have not developed court exams or oral exams at the highest level, so those are qualified while others are certified. 

“We have very high standards for proficiency in both English and the target language, which is crucial,” Kaur said. 

The exam is created by the National Center for State Courts. Kaur said it takes them six months to develop the exams. 

Kaur said that the state has a reciprocity process as well. So if someone who interprets in Ohio or other neighboring states wants to be on the Indiana roster and meets the standards, then they will be added to the roster. 

“I have several folks that have tested in other states. I’ve got some, I think, in New York, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan that want to be on our roster to start interpreting. So there are some languages, if we don’t have them here, and Kentucky has them or Michigan has them, I want those on my roster because my courts need them,” Kaur said.