Translation and interpreting services in Woburn

Language access rules in Massachusetts

Court interpreter program

Massachusetts Trial Court coordinator of court interpreter services, located within the Office of the Chief Justice of the Trial Court under M.G.L. c. 221C, § 7, who administers the trial court interpreter program: training, examining, and certifying interpreters, maintaining the lists of certified and qualified interpreters, and facilitating interpreter payment.

Court-certified languages

M.G.L. c. 221C recognizes two credentials: a certified interpreter, trained and tested on language proficiency, courtroom conduct, and professional ethics under the coordinator's program, and a qualified interpreter, who is certified and has also passed the federal court interpreter examination for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

The rule

M.G.L. c. 221C, § 2 gives every non-English speaker a right to the assistance of a qualified interpreter, appointed by the judge, throughout a legal proceeding, or a certified interpreter when no qualified interpreter is reasonably available; M.G.L. c. 221, § 92A separately requires a qualified interpreter for deaf and hard of hearing people in court and agency proceedings, paid by the Commonwealth.

Hospital emergency room interpreters

M.G.L. c. 111, § 25J requires every acute-care hospital to provide competent interpreter services with all emergency room services, using telephone or video interpreters only when the need could not reasonably be anticipated or an employed or contracted interpreter is unavailable, and gives a non-English speaker denied appropriate emergency care because the hospital failed to use reasonable judgment in providing interpreters a right of action in superior court, with damages of at least $250 per violation.

Interpreters for deaf people at arrest and in agency hearings

Under M.G.L. c. 221, § 92A, state and local boards, commissions, and agencies must appoint a qualified interpreter for deaf or hard of hearing people in their proceedings unless the person knowingly waives it in writing, and an arresting officer must procure and arrange payment for a qualified interpreter for any interrogation, rights warning, or statement.

Court interpreter removal and standards

Under M.G.L. c. 221C, § 7, the coordinator can remove interpreters from the certified and qualified lists for inadequate performance or other good cause after notice and a hearing, and training, certification, and conduct standards are adopted by committee after a public hearing.

Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

M.G.L. c. 6, § 194 makes the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing the principal state agency for deaf and hard of hearing residents and directs it to provide services including interpreting services and information and referral.