NIC Legal Settings 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During voir dire, the court interpreter's primary responsibility is to:
- Screen prospective jurors for English language ability
- Interpret accurately all communications between attorneys and non-English-speaking prospective jurors (Correct answer)
- Advise the judge which prospective jurors understand the proceedings
- Translate written jury questionnaires before the session begins
Correct answer: Interpret accurately all communications between attorneys and non-English-speaking prospective jurors
During voir dire, the interpreter must accurately render all spoken communications between attorneys and any non-English-speaking prospective juror.
Question 2: What is a 'habeas corpus' writ?
- A court order requiring a detained person to be brought before a court to determine lawful custody (Correct answer)
- A motion to exclude illegally obtained evidence from trial
- A formal grand jury indictment document
- A court order compelling the production of documents
Correct answer: A court order requiring a detained person to be brought before a court to determine lawful custody
Habeas corpus is a writ requiring that a detained person be brought before a court to determine whether the detention is lawful.
Question 3: When a witness invokes the Fifth Amendment and refuses to answer, the interpreter should:
- Pause and ask the court for guidance on how to proceed
- Explain the constitutional right to the jury in plain terms
- Render the witness's exact words without editorializing (Correct answer)
- Notify the defense attorney privately before interpreting the refusal
Correct answer: Render the witness's exact words without editorializing
The interpreter must faithfully reproduce the witness's exact words, including a Fifth Amendment invocation, without elaboration or explanation.
Question 4: An 'arraignment' is best described as:
- A pretrial hearing held to establish probable cause for arrest
- A formal court proceeding where the defendant is read the charges and enters a plea (Correct answer)
- The jury selection process at the start of a criminal trial
- The final phase of sentencing after a guilty verdict
Correct answer: A formal court proceeding where the defendant is read the charges and enters a plea
An arraignment is the proceeding in which the defendant is formally informed of the charges and asked to enter a plea.
Question 5: If an interpreter realizes mid-testimony that they made an interpretation error, they should:
- Continue interpreting and note the error for correction at the next break
- Wait until cross-examination before raising the discrepancy
- Immediately alert the court and provide the corrected interpretation (Correct answer)
- Discreetly notify only the defense attorney of the mistake
Correct answer: Immediately alert the court and provide the corrected interpretation
Interpreters must immediately notify the court of errors to ensure the record is accurate and no party is prejudiced.
Question 6: A 'subpoena duces tecum' requires the recipient to:
- Appear in court and deliver sworn testimony
- Produce specified documents or physical evidence to the court (Correct answer)
- Submit to a court-ordered medical or psychiatric evaluation
- Surrender travel documents to prevent flight risk
Correct answer: Produce specified documents or physical evidence to the court
A subpoena duces tecum compels the production of documents or tangible evidence, not merely personal testimony.
Question 7: In consecutive interpretation during legal proceedings, the interpreter should:
- Summarize the speaker's key points after each complete statement
- Interpret only the most legally relevant portions of each statement
- Wait for natural pauses and then render everything accurately and completely (Correct answer)
- Whisper the interpretation simultaneously while the speaker continues talking
Correct answer: Wait for natural pauses and then render everything accurately and completely
Consecutive interpreting requires waiting for natural pauses and then rendering the full content completely and accurately without omission.
NIC Legal Settings 2
During voir dire, the court interpreter's primary responsibility is to: