Law Practice
Apr. 3, 2013
Interpreter error: a scary truth right under our noses
It's not just that there are lots of bad interpreters out there; language interpretation is not a precise science, and even the best interpreters work under demanding circumstances that require quick judgment calls. By Steve Baughman
I recently represented a Chinese evangelical Christian seeking asylum in the U.S. claiming that she would be persecuted if she returned to China. The hearing, which took place in San Francisco, was conducted by a federal asylum officer. Two professional interpreters were on hand, one to interpret for my Chinese-speaking client and the other via speaker phone to monitor and correct any errors the first interpreter might make. An interpreter chec...
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