Books recommended to prepare for the Legal Written Test

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BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY

The Law and the Deaf Community

Interpreting in Legal Settings

Editors:  Sandra Hale & Debra Russell (2009)

SIGN LAGUAGE INTERPRETERS IN COURT:

Understanding Best Practices.

by Carla M. Mathers

(2006)

LEGAL RIGHTS 5TH ED. The Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

by NAD (2000)

EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW:

Deaf Peoples Access to Justice

by Mary Brennan & Richard Brown (1997)

The Law And The Deaf

by J. Myers  (1964)

Legal Written Test

The Legal Written Exam is based on the Test Specifications developed from a National Job Analysis of the profession of Legal interpreting. Each of the 8  Legal Workshops are 5-hours in duration and you will learn about...

I. Language

a. Legal terms and phrases  
b. Challenges that legal language presents for accurate interpretation (e.g. double 
negatives, convoluted syntax, rights waiver)  
c. Powerless language forms within the judicial system and implications for the 
interpreting process  
d. Types of cultural and linguistic adjustments required when working with ASL and 
English in the judicial system  
e. Interpreting issues arising from the status of linguistic minorities in the judicial 
system  
f. Strategies for addressing interpreting issues associated with limited/minimal 
language competence  
g. Interpreting techniques used with consumers with limited/minimal language 
competence  
h. Strategies/techniques for determining interpretation needs  
i. Implications of age of consumer for the interpreting process

  
II. Judicial System
a. Law enforcement procedures (e.g. interrogations, victim/witness statements)  
b. Miranda Warning  
c. Courtroom procedures and logistics  
d. Criminal judicial system features and processes, from point of initiation through 
the trial process  
e. Civil judicial system features and processes, from point of initiation through the 
trial process  f. Judicial (e.g., juvenile/family court) and quasi-judicial (e.g., administrative 
hearings, parole  
g. Laws regulating the right to an interpreter in the federal, state, and local judicial 
systems  
h. Roles and responsibilities of judicial personnel (e.g., interpreter, district attorney, 
judge, public defender, bailiff, reporter) 

 
III. Team Interpreting 
a. Principals and protocol of hearing/hearing team interpreting within the legal realm  
b. Principals and protocol of Deaf/hearing team interpreting within the legal realm 

IV. Professional Issues 
a. Local, state, and federal legislation regarding interpreters  
b. Ethical issues related to the interpretation in the legal realm  
c. Liability issues related to the interpretations of judicial proceedings  
d. Models of interpreting