N.M. 3rd Jud. Dist. Court Interpreter Standards of Practice and Payment Policies 1

a. Certified Court Interpreters –Spoken Languages

A New Mexico certified spoken language interpreter is an individual who has

received court certification through the New Mexico Administrative Office of the

Courts (including mandatory orientation and all required examinations), the

United States Federal Court, or the National Center for Interpretation at the

University of Arizona (Navajo only) and has completed at minimum the including

mandatory orientation and post-certification workshops as regularly offered by

the AOC. Interpreters in languages for which there are no standardized national

examinations, must complete the mandatory written examination and Oral

Proficiency Interviews per AOC Policy (available by request) to be recognized as

New Mexico court certified.

Certified court interpreters in New Mexico must be in compliance with the AOC’s

Court Interpreter Continuing Education Policy (see Attachment C). Those in

compliance will be provided an identification badge in January every other

calendar year. Should certification lapse due to non-compliance with the

Continuing Education Policy, an interpreter will be required to retake the

certification examinations.

An individual who has passed all parts of the National Center for State Court’s

interpreter certification written and oral exams may be able to obtain reciprocal

certification in New Mexico. An interpreter requesting reciprocal certification by

New Mexico must provide sufficient information to allow confirmation of exam

results in the other state. The Program Manager will review and confirm the test

results. Upon confirmation of the certification exam results and the interpreter’s

attendance at New Mexico Court Interpreter Orientation, the Program Manager

will add the interpreter to New Mexico’s Directory of Certified Court Interpreters,

indicating the state of certification. The Administrative Office of the Court

reserves the right to request re-certification of any interpreter seeking reciprocal

certification. Interpreters certified in another state and added to New Mexico’s

roster must maintain certification by meeting New Mexico’s continuing education

requirements for Certified Court Interpreters. If a person is denied reciprocal

certification, the interpreter may appeal the denial to the Language Access

Advisory Committee. The decision of the committee will be final. Reciprocal

certification will not be granted if the other certifying entity does not grant

reciprocal certification of New Mexico certified interpreters.

b. Certified Interpreters – Signed Languages

Certified: Legal Specialist

Deaf Interpreters Hearing Interpreters

Conditional Legal Interpreting Permit: Relay Specialist Certificate: Legal (SC:L)

(CLIP-R)

Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI)

New Mexico Community License New Mexico Community License

AA Degree or alternative pathway (BA in BA Degree or alternative pathway

2016)

AOC Orientation AOC Orientation

AOC Application AOC Application

Background check Background check

2.0 Legal CEUs in each 4-year RID CMP 2.0 Legal CEUs in each 4-year RID CMP

cycle cycle

4 hours (.4 CEUs) ethics in each 4-year cycle 4 hours (.4 CEUs) ethics in each 4-year cycle

Certified: Legal Qualified

Deaf Interpreters Hearing Interpreters

Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) RID Generalist Certification

New Mexico Community License New Mexico Community License

Legal Training sufficient for SC:L Written test Pass SC:L Written Test

AA Degree or alternative pathway (BA in BA Degree or alternative pathway

2016)

AOC Orientation AOC Orientation

AOC Application AOC Application

Background check Background check

2.0 Legal CEUs in each 4-year RID CMP 2.0 Legal CEUs in each 4-year RID CMP

cycle cycle

4 hours (.4 CEUs) ethics in each 4-year cycle 4 hours (.4 CEUs) ethics in each 4-year cycle

Certified: Legal Apprentice

Deaf Interpreters Hearing Interpreters

New Mexico Provisional License RID Generalist Cert.

CDI Training sufficient to take CDI Written New Mexico Community License

test

AOC Orientation AOC Orientation

AA Degree or alternative pathway (BA in BA Degree or alternative pathway

2016)

AOC Application AOC Application

Background check Background check

2.0 Legal CEUs in each 4-year RID CMP 2.0 Legal CEUs in each 4-year RID CMP

cycle cycle

4 hours (.4 CEUs) ethics in each 4-year cycle 4 hours (.4 CEUs) ethics in each 4-year cycle

No trials or jury No trials or jury

Additional clarification of requirements:

 The degree requirements follow RID’s established Educational Requirements.

 The 2.0 Legal CEUs per CMP cycle follows RID’s requirement for SC:L holders.

 The 4 hours of ethics each CMP cycle mirrors the requirements established by

the AOC for spoken language interpreters.

 Signed language interpreters will submit a copy of their RID CEU Transcript to

the AOC at the end of their respective 4-year CMP cycles.

c. Non-Certified Interpreters – Spoken Languages

i. Justice System Interpreters

A New Mexico justice system spoken language interpreter is an individual who

has successfully completed the Justice System Interpreting course of study with

the New Mexico Center for Language Access (NMCLA). Upon notification of

their successful completion from NMCLA the individual will be placed on the AOC

Registry of Justice System Interpreters. Interpreters in languages for which there

are no standardized national examinations, must complete the mandatory

written examination and Oral Proficiency Interviews per AOC Policy (available by

request) to be recognized as New Mexico justice system interpreters.

All justice system interpreters must complete a one-day orientation through the

New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts Language Access Services and

the required post-certification training in order to be included on the Registry of

Justice System Interpreters. Continued inclusion on the Registry is dependent

upon compliance with New Mexico’s continuing education requirements for

certified court and justice system interpreters. If a justice system interpreter fails

to comply with the yearly continuing education requirements they will be

removed from the Registry. All Justice System spoken and signed language

Interpreters who work regularly in the courts, must be actively pursuing court

interpreter certification within one year of having been placed on the Registry.

ii. Other Interpreters

A spoken language interpreter without state or federal court interpreter

certification who is not a Justice System Interpreter (i.e., included on the NM AOC

Justice System Interpreter Registry) is considered a non-certified other interpreter.