Court Language Access Services (CLAS) Certification and Training Program
The Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) is the only Oregon state agency that is legally authorized to certify court interpreters in Oregon and offers certification exams for Amharic, Arabic, Cantonese, Filipino (Tagalog), Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese interpreters. In 1993, the OJD received legislative authority and funds to establish a certification program for court interpreters in Oregon. The State of Oregon was one of four founding members of the national Consortium for Language Access in the Courts (external link) (formerly the Consortium for State Court Interpreter Certification).
Oregon Certified Court Interpreter Credential
Interpreter Interest Form
Fill out our Interest in Becoming an Oregon Court Interpreter online form for more information and to be added to our mailing list.
The Oregon Certified Court Interpreter Credential will be awarded to a spoken-language interpreter who fulfills the following credential steps:
- Passes a criminal history check
- Achieves a passing score (PDF) on the Written Examination
- Attends the Orientation and the Ethics Orientation Conducted by CLAS
- Achieves a passing score (PDF) on the Court Interpreting Oral Examination
- Achieves a passing score (PDF) on the Ethics Examination
- Completes and submits documentation of 20 hours of court interpreting services or court observation during the 12 months prior to application in courts of record in Oregon or Consortium member states, federal courts of record, or where the interpreter is sworn in and the record can be presented into evidence
- Completes the application process
- Takes the Interpreter's Oath administered by an Oregon state court judge
Normally, prospective interpreters prepare themselves for the Court Interpreting Oral Examination over a period of many months or even years. For more details, check the Certification Information Packet (PDF) or the certification process flow chart (PDF)
Five Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for Court Interpreter Certification
- Become familiar with the certification process.
CLAS created videos to help you understand the Oregon court interpreter certification process. You can find these videos on our Introduction to
Court Interpreter Certification page.
- Court Observation
Most Oregon courts are open to the public for observation. It will be helpful to understand the role of the court interpreter by reading the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters int he Oregon Courts. After carefully reviewing the Code, an interpreter candidate can begin doing court observation to improve legal vocabulary and to learn court proceedings and protocol.
See our court observation page for more information.
- Build your legal vocabulary
Court interpreting has its own special set of challenges and the hearing range from minor traffic infractions to domestic dissolutions to criminal trials. Being bilingual is not sufficient to meet the high standard that is required to interpret for court proceedings. Court interpreters must have knowledge and vocabulary of court proceedings and court procedures. See our
resources page for more information.
- Written Exam Preparation
The written examination is a multiple-choice exam designed by the National Center for State Courts to measure: general knowledge of court interpreting, the English language, court related vocabulary, ethics and professional conduct. The written exam must be passed with a score of 80 percent or higher. You can find more information on how to prepare for the exam, see our
resources page and the Introduction to Court Interpreter Certification page.
- Oral Exam Preparation
The Court Interpreting Oral Examination is an oral exam designed by the National Center for State Courts to measure the candidate's interpreting skills in the dight, consecutive, and simultaneous modes of interpretation. The Oral Exam must be passed with a sore of 70 percent or higher on each of the modes. You can find more information on how to prepare for the exam,resources page and the Introduction to Court Interpreter Certification page.