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Rule 18. Foreign Language Interpreters and Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Oklahoma Statutes AnnotatedLocal District Court Rules

Oklahoma Statutes Annotated
Local District Court Rules
Rules of the Fourteenth Judicial District [Tulsa and Pawnee Counties]
General Rules
Fourteenth Judicial District Court Rule 18
Rule 18. Foreign Language Interpreters and Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Currentness
A. Foreign Language Interpreters. In all court proceedings in which any party or witness is unable to clearly understand and/or speak English he shall have his statements interpreted into English and/or have documents and statements interpreted to him by a certified foreign language interpreter. A certified foreign language interpreter shall be a person who:
(1) Makes application to the Presiding Judge on a form prepared by the Office of Court Administration, and adopted in an Administrative Order.
(2) Agrees in writing to comply with the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters adopted by an Administrative Order.
(3) Observes two (2) court proceedings; and
(4) Either:
(i) Proves certification by either (a) any United States District Court, (b) the State Consortium for Interpreter Certification program, or (c) any State court of equivalent jurisdiction having a certification program approved by the Presiding Judge, or;
(ii) Has attained a four (4) year college degree in the language for which certification is requested, or;
(iii) Is determined to be proficient in the language for which certification is requested or deaf interpretation by a majority vote of the District and Associate District Court Judges, or;
(iv) Is certified pursuant to procedures adopted pursuant to Okla. Stat. tit. 20 § 1701-1710.
B. Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In all court proceedings in which any party or witness is unable to clearly understand and/or speak due to deafness or hearing difficulty he shall have his statements interpreted and have statements interpreted to him by a certified sign language interpreter. A certified sign language interpreter shall be a person who:
(1) Complies with the provisions of Section A1, 2 and 3 above; and
(2) Either
(i) Proves certification by (a) any United States District Court, (b) the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or the National Association for the Deaf or the National Association for the Deaf1, or, (c) any state court of equivalent jurisdiction having a certification program approved by the Presiding Judge, or,
(ii) Has attained a four (4) year college degree in deaf education which includes proficiency in sign language, or,
(iii) Is determined to be proficient in the use of sign language by a majority vote of the District and Associate District Court Judges, or,
(iv) Is Certified pursuant to procedures adopted pursuant to Okla. Stat. tit. 20 § 1701-1710.
C. Authority of District Court Preserved. Notwithstanding the requirement for certification set forth above, any District Judge, Associate District Judge or Special District Judge may waive certification by any interpreter in any proceeding before that judge if (a) no certified interpreter is available for the proceeding and obtaining one would cause delay contrary to the interest of any party or the Court; and, (b) such interpreter has requisite skill in translating and interpreting as determined by the Judge after appropriate inquiry.

Credits

[Adopted effective October 30, 2008.]

Footnotes

1
So in original.
Fourteenth Judicial District Court Rule 18, OK R 14 DIST CT Rule 18
Current with amendments received through April 15, 2024. Some rules may be more current, see credits for details.
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