Asociacion Profesional de Traductores e Intérpretes Judiciales

Main problems for court interpreters-translators

Staff court interpreters and translators are not numerous and they are scattered all over Spain. Their daily problems respond to similar situations, where their role is neither understood nor respected. Such lack of knowledge on their profession has prevented them from achieving suitable job conditions.

On the one hand, staff court interpreters and translators have been classified into different professional groups, depending on whether they are employed by the Ministry of Justice or by any of the Regions which have been transferred powers over the administration of justice. In the Basque Country, Madrid and the Canary Islands they belong to Group 1 (entry requirement: 4-year university degree), in Andalusia to Group 2 (3-year degree) and in those regions or courts (National High Court –Audiencia Nacional- and Supreme Court) still depending on the Ministry of Justice to Group 3 (secondary education diploma). Thus, whereas at First Instance Criminal Courts in Madrid interpreters and translators are considered to have high education degrees, at the National High Court having a secondary school degree is enough. Nevertheless, virtually all posts have been covered with people who have university degrees, a logical thing considering the complexity of tasks involved and the relevance of interpreting and translating in sensitive cases, such as terrorism, for instance, although all judicial proceedings are equally important. In the same way as attorneys need to be qualified for all the proceedings, interpreters and translators should also be qualified.

On the other hand, some regions have decided to outsource interpreting-translation services and this means that there is an intermediary company between the interpreter-translator and the Court. Problems arise as bids do not establish decent fees for the interpreter-translator, who ends up earning incredibly low fees, because some companies keep 60 per cent of the amount paid by the Administration for each service provided. Hence, outsourced companies hire unqualified staff (at least in some cases; fortunately not in most) to the detriment of true professionals. As we have already explained, the consequences are clearly and conclusively reflected upon service quality, which falls tremendously, affecting all those involved in the proceedings, from the non-Spanish speaker with a direct interest in the case, up to the judge, the prosecutor or the attorney themselves.

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Service provision in the Canary Islands

We must highlight the provision of court interpreting and translation services in Gran Canaria. Our Association Vice-president, Miguel Ángel González Reyes, who is himself a staff court interpreter, is also in charge of managing freelance interpreting services. He has managed to set up a system which meets all language needs 24x7; given that the system is not based on outsourced companies or the presence of private intermediaries, interpreters get the full fees the authorities are willing to pay for these services.

We consider this model to be effective and efficient in the provision of interpreting-translation services and this provides a viable alternative to the outsourcing of services. This model could be easily replicated elsewhere.

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What can we do to better the image of our profession?

APTIJ’s view is that “united we stand” and that we cannot sit back and do nothing.

Firstly, court interpreters and translators must be required to be qualified or meet certain requirements.

Secondly, we propose that a Freelance interpreter-translator Register be created in order to cover the work that interpreters on payroll cannot do due to overload. Our aim is then to prevent any possible abuse from intermediary or outsourced companies which do not guarantee their employees’ qualification, or confidentiality in many cases, not to mention the absurdly low fees their interpreter-translators are paid.

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How to join and become a member of the Spanish Association of Court and Sworn Interpreters and Translators (APTIJ)

Given APTIJ’s professional and judicial character only those individuals who work for the courts of law and meet some specific requirements, as well as those who have been appointed as Sworn Interpreters, can join the Association. Therefore, pursuant to article 23 of its Bylaws, any individual may apply for membership provided that he or she meets any of the following requirements:

a) If he/she works as staff court interpreter-translator either employed by the Ministry of Justice or by any of the Autonomous Regions which have transferred powers over the administration of justice.

b) If he/she has been appointed as a Sworn Interpreter or Translator by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs or by the Autonomous Regions enjoying such powers and is a practising professional.

c) If he/she works as a freelance court translator or interpreter, for the court system or for the Autonomous Regions enjoying such powers, on a continuous basis through their administrative bodies or through outsourced companies offering this kind of services for the court system.

The individuals mentioned above must hold a higher university degree in case they have not been appointed as Sworn Interpreters or Translators as mentioned above in paragraph b).

d) If he/she carries out a research and/or teaching career in legal, sworn or judicial translation or interpreting.

If you meet any of the aforesaid requirements and you would like to become a member of the Spanish Professional Association of Court and Sworn Interpreters and Translators (APTIJ) please send the membership application form (clickhere to download the form) duly filled in, accompanied by the required documentation to the address mentioned in the form or e-mail it to:

- E-mail: info@aptij.es

After receiving and considering your application form, APTIJ will contact you to let you know whether your application has been accepted.

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	Asociación Profesional Traductores Intérpretes Judiciales y Jurados	About APTIJ About us: our goals Main problems for court interpreters-translators Service provision in the Canary Islands What can we do to better the image of our profession? ¿Cómo afiliarse y hacerse miembro de la APTIJ?
		About us: our goals The Spanish Professional Association of Court and Sworn Interpreters and Translators (Asociación profesional de traductores e intérpretes judiciales y jurados, APTIJ) has been created to respond to the need to create a professional body working in this field. Our main aim is for the Spanish authorities with powers over the Judiciary (both the Ministry of Justice and its regional counterparts) to value and acknowledge the role of translators and interpreters alike. Despite being an old and important profession, it continues to be widely unknown and, what is even worse, it is greatly neglected, and this has negative repercussions in the justice system and prevents safeguarding the procedural rights and the right to a fair trial. Back
		Main problems for court interpreters-translators Staff court interpreters and translators are not numerous and they are scattered all over Spain. Their daily problems respond to similar situations, where their role is neither understood nor respected. Such lack of knowledge on their profession has prevented them from achieving suitable job conditions. On the one hand, staff court interpreters and translators have been classified into different professional groups, depending on whether they are employed by the Ministry of Justice or by any of the Regions which have been transferred powers over the administration of justice. In the Basque Country, Madrid and the Canary Islands they belong to Group 1 (entry requirement: 4-year university degree), in Andalusia to Group 2 (3-year degree) and in those regions or courts (National High Court –Audiencia Nacional- and Supreme Court) still depending on the Ministry of Justice to Group 3 (secondary education diploma). Thus, whereas at First Instance Criminal Courts in Madrid interpreters and translators are considered to have high education degrees, at the National High Court having a secondary school degree is enough. Nevertheless, virtually all posts have been covered with people who have university degrees, a logical thing considering the complexity of tasks involved and the relevance of interpreting and translating in sensitive cases, such as terrorism, for instance, although all judicial proceedings are equally important. In the same way as attorneys need to be qualified for all the proceedings, interpreters and translators should also be qualified. On the other hand, some regions have decided to outsource interpreting-translation services and this means that there is an intermediary company between the interpreter-translator and the Court. Problems arise as bids do not establish decent fees for the interpreter-translator, who ends up earning incredibly low fees, because some companies keep 60 per cent of the amount paid by the Administration for each service provided. Hence, outsourced companies hire unqualified staff (at least in some cases; fortunately not in most) to the detriment of true professionals. As we have already explained, the consequences are clearly and conclusively reflected upon service quality, which falls tremendously, affecting all those involved in the proceedings, from the non-Spanish speaker with a direct interest in the case, up to the judge, the prosecutor or the attorney themselves. Back Service provision in the Canary Islands We must highlight the provision of court interpreting and translation services in Gran Canaria. Our Association Vice-president, Miguel Ángel González Reyes, who is himself a staff court interpreter, is also in charge of managing freelance interpreting services. He has managed to set up a system which meets all language needs 24x7; given that the system is not based on outsourced companies or the presence of private intermediaries, interpreters get the full fees the authorities are willing to pay for these services. We consider this model to be effective and efficient in the provision of interpreting-translation services and this provides a viable alternative to the outsourcing of services. This model could be easily replicated elsewhere. Back What can we do to better the image of our profession? APTIJ’s view is that “united we stand” and that we cannot sit back and do nothing. Firstly, court interpreters and translators must be required to be qualified or meet certain requirements. Secondly, we propose that a Freelance interpreter-translator Register be created in order to cover the work that interpreters on payroll cannot do due to overload. Our aim is then to prevent any possible abuse from intermediary or outsourced companies which do not guarantee their employees’ qualification, or confidentiality in many cases, not to mention the absurdly low fees their interpreter-translators are paid. Back How to join and become a member of the Spanish Association of Court and Sworn Interpreters and Translators (APTIJ) Given APTIJ’s professional and judicial character only those individuals who work for the courts of law and meet some specific requirements, as well as those who have been appointed as Sworn Interpreters, can join the Association. Therefore, pursuant to article 23 of its Bylaws, any individual may apply for membership provided that he or she meets any of the following requirements: a) If he/she works as staff court interpreter-translator either employed by the Ministry of Justice or by any of the Autonomous Regions which have transferred powers over the administration of justice. b) If he/she has been appointed as a Sworn Interpreter or Translator by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs or by the Autonomous Regions enjoying such powers and is a practising professional. c) If he/she works as a freelance court translator or interpreter, for the court system or for the Autonomous Regions enjoying such powers, on a continuous basis through their administrative bodies or through outsourced companies offering this kind of services for the court system. The individuals mentioned above must hold a higher university degree in case they have not been appointed as Sworn Interpreters or Translators as mentioned above in paragraph b). d) If he/she carries out a research and/or teaching career in legal, sworn or judicial translation or interpreting. If you meet any of the aforesaid requirements and you would like to become a member of the Spanish Professional Association of Court and Sworn Interpreters and Translators (APTIJ) please send the membership application form (clickhere to download the form) duly filled in, accompanied by the required documentation to the address mentioned in the form or e-mail it to: - E-mail: info@aptij.es After receiving and considering your application form, APTIJ will contact you to let you know whether your application has been accepted. Back
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