Translation and interpreting services in Coralville

Language access rules in Iowa

Court interpreter program

Iowa Judicial Branch court interpreter program, led by the Judicial Branch Director of Language Access Services, which publishes Iowa's roster of court interpreters by classification; Iowa Court Rules chapter 47 governs how courts locate, select, and appoint interpreters.

Court-certified languages

Court interpreter certification exams exist in only 18 languages, so Iowa ranks interpreters by classification: Class A (certified), Class B (noncertified, mid-level testing and training), Class C (noncertified, basic-level), and unclassified, and Iowa Court Rules 47.3(4)-(5) require court personnel to seek interpreters in that order of priority.

The rule

Iowa Code 622A.2 entitles a limited-English-proficient party or witness in any legal proceeding to an interpreter throughout the proceeding, and a party to a written translation when a court determines that oral or sign interpretation is not enough to ensure due process; Iowa Code 622A.7 directs the Supreme Court to set interpreter qualifications and pay, and Iowa Code chapter 622B covers sign language interpreters for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons.

Who pays for interpreters

Under Iowa Code 622A.3, interpreters are provided without expense to LEP witnesses in civil cases and to indigent persons, with fees paid by the state court administrator, while an administrative agency must pay the interpreter in its own proceedings but may require the party to bear the expense.

Team interpreting in court

Iowa Court Rule 47.3(12) requires the court, when reasonably available, to appoint more than one interpreter as a team or relay interpreters when an interpreted proceeding is expected to be complex or last more than four hours.

Sign language interpreter licensure

Iowa Code 154E.3 requires every person providing interpreting or transliterating services between American Sign Language or manual English and spoken English in Iowa to be licensed by the Board of Sign Language Interpreters and Transliterators after passing a board-approved examination.

Official language and its exceptions

Iowa Code 1.18 (Iowa English language reaffirmation) declares English the official language and the language of government, but expressly exempts actions or documents that protect public health and safety, protect the rights of crime victims or criminal defendants, are necessary for trade, tourism, or commerce, or are required to secure federal or state constitutional rights.

Refugee program

The Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services, a federally funded state office whose work dates to the 1975 arrival of 300 Tai Dam refugees, works with a network of resettlement agencies, helps refugees with employment, legal, and benefits needs, and connects refugees with interpretation when language is a barrier to its services.