a) As provided in 20 O.S. §1702, the Board is authorized to determine and establish levels of interpreter certifications and specialization certificates, as the Board deems necessary and appropriate. Accordingly, the two levels of spoken-language interpreter certification recognized in the Oklahoma courts are "Registered" and "Certified." All candidates who successfully meet the certification requirements set forth in these Rules and have otherwise been found and approved by the Board to be fit and proper persons shall be recommended by the Board to the Supreme Court for official enrollment as Certified or Registered Courtroom Interpreters. Any individual enrolled as a Certified or Registered Interpreter is qualified to engage in courtroom interpreting and translating in the Oklahoma state courts, and is hereby recognized as "a certified courtroom interpreter or translator" for the purposes of 20 O.S. §1703(E). The Administrative Office of the Courts shall maintain the current roll (also referred to as the "registry") of all active Registered and Certified Courtroom Interpreters.b) Provisional Status Interpreters do not become officially enrolled, and do not hold an official certification. The purpose of provisional status is to provide the courts with a temporary list of minimally qualified interpreters while the Oklahoma interpreter certification program is under development.c) The court shall endeavor to obtain the services of a courtroom interpreter with the highest available level of credential prior to accepting services of an interpreter with lesser certification and skill.d) As provided in 20 O.S. §1710, when good cause is shown and the court has determined that it would not be practical, within a reasonable time frame, to secure the services of a Registered or Certified Interpreter, the court may utilize the services of a Provisional Interpreter or other person who does not hold a Registered or Certified credential. Whenever possible, any court proceeding interpreted by a Provisional Interpreter, Registered Interpreter, or other person who is not enrolled as a Certified Interpreter shall be audio recorded and the recording shall be made an official part of the record as required by 20 O.S. §1710 and Supreme Court Rule 1.410.Okla. Stat. tit. 20, app I R. 16
Adopted by Order of the Supreme Court October 30, 1970; Amended October 8, 1981; Amended by Orders December 8, 2003, eff. 1/1/2004. Amended by order of the Supreme Court, 2009 OK 85, eff. 1/1/2010.