Legal Settings Flashcards

Attorney-client privilege in interpreter-assisted legal communication means the interpreter must:

Answer: Keep all communications between the attorney and client strictly confidential

The interpreter functions as an extension of the attorney-client relationship and is bound by the same privilege of confidentiality.

If an interpreter is assigned to a case involving a regional dialect they are not fluent in, they should:

Answer: Immediately disclose the limitation to the court and decline the assignment if necessary

Interpreters must not accept assignments beyond their competence and must disclose any limitations that could compromise accuracy before proceeding.

The principle of impartiality requires a court interpreter to:

Answer: Render all statements accurately regardless of personal feelings about any party

Impartiality means the interpreter renders all speech accurately and completely without favoring any party or influencing the outcome.

'Sight translation' in a legal proceeding refers to:

Answer: Orally reading and translating a written document in real time without prior preparation

Sight translation is the real-time oral rendering of a written document without any prior preparation time.

When a judge instructs the jury to disregard a statement, the interpreter should:

Answer: Interpret the judge's instruction completely and accurately to the non-English-speaking party

The interpreter must faithfully render the judge's curative instruction so the non-English-speaking party fully understands what the court has ordered.

Consecutive interpretation is sometimes preferred over simultaneous in certain court contexts because:

Answer: It allows attorneys to object to a question before the witness hears it and responds

In consecutive mode, the interpreter waits for the attorney to finish a question before rendering it, giving opposing counsel time to object before the witness responds.

A court interpreter who is personally acquainted with the defendant should:

Answer: Disclose the personal relationship to the court and request to be recused

Any personal relationship with a party creates a potential conflict of interest that must be disclosed and ruled upon by the court.