Translation and interpreting services in Mandan

Language access rules in North Dakota

Court interpreter program

North Dakota Court System court interpreter program under Administrative Rule 50 and Policy 522 (Language Access Plan, June 7, 2023): the court system keeps a statewide N.D. Court Interpreter Roster, periodically offers an introductory two-day training for court interpreters, and the State Court Administrator's Office publishes the North Dakota Court Interpreter's Handbook.

Court-certified languages

North Dakota has no state certification process for interpreters; under Administrative Rule 50, courts use spoken-language interpreters certified by a recognized program in another jurisdiction and listed on that jurisdiction's statewide roster, and sign language interpreters certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, the National or North Dakota Association for the Deaf, or approved by the superintendent of the state school for the deaf. If none is available, a court may use an interpreter whose actual qualifications are determined by examination or other appropriate means.

The rule

N.D.R.Civ.P. 43(c) requires the court to provide an interpreter when a person with limited English proficiency or a deaf person is involved in a proceeding as a party, witness, person with legal decision-making authority, or person with a significant legal interest, with similar language in N.D.R.Crim.P. 28; N.D.C.C. § 28-33-02 separately requires a qualified interpreter at all stages of judicial or administrative proceedings in which a deaf person is a principal party in interest.

Free court interpreters by case type

Administrative Rule 50 provides interpreters at no cost to deaf or hearing-impaired parties and witnesses in any case, and to limited English proficient parties and witnesses in criminal, traffic and infraction, juvenile, mental health, guardianship, protection order, divorce, paternity, and contempt cases, and lets the court add a second interpreter when interpretation exceeds two continuous hours.

Deaf access to state and local agencies

Under N.D.C.C. § 28-33-02(3), any agency of the state or a political subdivision serving or holding proceedings involving a deaf person must inform the person of the right to a qualified interpreter and appoint one at the agency's expense on request.

Medicaid interpreter coverage and standards

ND Medicaid covers sign and oral language interpreter services delivered with a covered service and billed by the treating provider, and its January 2026 billing manual requires interpreters to be trained in interpreting skills, ethics, and confidentiality, show proficiency in health care terminology, and follow National Council on Interpreting in Health Care standards.

Most interpreted court languages

North Dakota district court data for 2021-2022 show Spanish (825), Nepali (148), sign language (67), Bosnian (46), Somali (42), and Chuukese (41) as the most frequently interpreted languages.

Official language

N.D.C.C. § 54-02-13 declares English the official language of North Dakota.

Refugee services

The Office of Refugee Services in the Department of Health and Human Services runs programs including employment support, case management, cash and medical assistance, health coordination, and English language learning, co-locates health coordinators and career navigators at Adult Learning Centers, and reports that about half of 2023 refugee arrivals came through a private sponsorship program.