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Apr 28, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan Simultaneous vs Consecutive at Depositions
The interpretation mode is not a scheduling detail. It shapes the transcript, the objection record, and how usable the testimony will be at trial. When “Good Enough” Interpretation Actually Fails P...
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Apr 24, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan Why Remote Interpreting Records Matter and How to Make Them Court-Ready
When interpretation is challenged in a high-stakes case, good records are the difference between a defensible process and a dismissed one. The Problem No One Thinks About Until It’s Too Late Remote...
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Apr 20, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan 2026 IRS Mileage Rate and Interpreter Budgets
Beginning January 1, 2026, the IRS standard business mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile, up 2.5 cents from 2025. For most industries, this is a routine footnote. For organizations that regularly engage in person interpretation services, it is worth a few minutes of attention.
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Apr 16, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan How to Prepare for a Deposition with an Interpreter
A well-run interpreted deposition produces a clean, defensible record. A poorly prepared one produces transcript problems, witness credibility issues, and procedural headaches that follow the case for months. This step-by-step guide covers what attorneys and their staff need to do before, during, and after an interpreted deposition.
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Apr 13, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan What Maine's New ASL Interpreter Law Means
After the 2023 Lewiston mass shooting, Maine's Deaf and hard-of-hearing residents faced a gap that had nothing to do with response time or resources. It had to do with communication access. A new bill moving through the legislature tells a compelling story about how states are grappling with interpreter access and professional standards.
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Apr 9, 2026
by Alexandra Kaplan California's Court Interpreter Crisis
California has nearly 6.4 million residents who speak English less than 'very well.' The Judicial Council's new workforce study is candid about the scale of the challenge and specific about what needs to change. Here is what it means for legal interpreting services and access to justice.
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Recent Posts
How Much Does a Deposition Interpreter Cost?
When a paralegal needs budget approval for an upcoming deposition, they Google 'how much does a deposition interpreter cost' and find mostly vague, outdated information. This guide walks through the real drivers: language, certification level, duration, travel, and urgency.
RFP for Interpretation: Procurement Guide
A county health department issues an RFP for interpretation services. The contract covers clinic appointments, mental health intakes, and community health meetings. On paper, the RFP looks solid. Six months later, the problems start. Here is how to hire an interpreting agency the right way.
Interpreter No-Show Deposition Problems
Most of the time, nobody thinks twice about the interpreter once the deposition is scheduled. Then something slips. A no-show is frustrating on its face, but it is also revealing. It shows who did the vetting, who confirmed the logistics, and who had a backup plan when something went wrong.
AAPTI Membership and Professional Interpreting
Professional interpreting requires more than bilingual ability. AAPTI membership reflects a commitment to the standards, ethics, and quality assurance that separate qualified interpreters from the rest of the industry.
What ATA Membership Tells You About Your Translation Provider
A law firm sends a contract for translation. The translated version comes back with errors in legal terminology that change the meaning of key clauses. The firm discovers the translator had no professional affiliation, no continuing education, and no accountability to any standards body. This is more common than it should be.
AI Interpretation Is Rising Fast
Not long ago, most interpretation happened face to face. A courtroom. A hospital room. A conference booth at the back of an international summit. Now a lot of those conversations happen through screens. Remote interpretation services have expanded quickly over the last few years. At the same time...
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95 more articles on interpreting, language access, and compliance.
What California Court Interpreter Certification Actually Requires
A judge in a Los Angeles courtroom halts proceedings. The interpreter provided by one of the parties cannot demonstrate certification. The judge will not proceed. This is not unusual. California courts take interpreter credentials seriously because the consequences of getting it wrong land on the record.
Why You Need a Certified ASL Interpreter for Legal
Hiring an uncertified ASL interpreter puts your organization at legal risk and your Deaf clients in danger. Here is what certified ASL interpreting services actually protect in legal, medical, and corporate settings.
Why Courts Are Warning Against Using Google Translate for Legal Matters
In 2025, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) released a formal resource titled “Machine Translation: Considerations and Cautions for Courts.” The message was direct: Machine translation is not reliable enough to convey complex legal information, and courts should never use it for courtroo...
When Interpreter Credentials Are Questioned
Hiring an interpreter is not a scheduling task. It is a risky decision. Recent litigation involving One Call has raised allegations about whether individuals presented as certified interpreters were properly licensed or credentialed under applicable state requirements. Allegations are not finding...
HIPAA-Compliant Medical Interpreting
An interpreter finishes a medical appointment and mentions the patient's diagnosis to a colleague in the hallway. That is a HIPAA violation. It does not matter that the interpreter meant no harm. It does not matter that the colleague is also an interpreter. The disclosure was unauthorized, and the liability falls on the healthcare provider who hired them.
NAJIT Membership and Legal Interpreting Standards
In a deposition last year, an interpreter changed a witness's answer from 'I don't remember' to 'I'm not sure.' That distinction matters. A qualified legal interpreter knows why. A general interpreter might not. NAJIT exists to draw that line.
What SCMSDC Certification Means for Your Interpreting Vendor
Fortune 500 companies do not leave supplier diversity to chance. They use councils like SCMSDC to vet, certify, and connect with minority-owned businesses. If your interpreting provider carries this certification, it means they have been through a process most vendors never attempt.
California Supplier Clearinghouse Certification
California's regulated utilities are required to spend a percentage of their procurement dollars with certified diverse vendors. The entity that verifies those vendors is the Supplier Clearinghouse. If your interpreting provider is not certified through it, that spend does not count toward your utility's diversity goals.
Why MWBE Certification Matters in Interpreting
A procurement officer at a state agency needs interpreting services for an upcoming hearing. Two vendors submit proposals. One is MWBE certified. The other is not. If the agency has supplier diversity requirements, and most do, the certified vendor moves to the front of the line.
Interpreter Shortages in U.S. Courts
A recent 52-page report, Justice Disrupted, examines how state courts manage language access in courts and judicial interpreter programs. Its central finding is straightforward: in several states, the demand for certified court interpreters exceeds available supply. The issue is not theoretical. ...
Statutory Shift with Practical Consequences
In July 2025, Illinois amended its Administrative Procedure Act to require state agencies to provide interpreters for individuals who are not proficient in English during administrative hearings. The change may appear procedural. It is not. Administrative hearings determine eligibility for public...
Google Translation AirPods
Google’s new translation AirPods have sparked a lot of interest across industries that rely on language services. As an interpretation and translation agency, we pay close attention to innovations that aim to improve communication across languages. At first glance, these devices are impressive. T...
Legal Interpretation Ensures Courtroom Fairness
Learn how legal interpretation services help defendants, witnesses, and plaintiffs participate fully in court proceedings. Contact Kaplan Interpreting Services today.
Corporate Translation for Global Business
Learn which skills matter most in foreign language interpretation, including cultural fluency, ethics, and subject expertise. See how Kaplan Interpreting leads the way.
5 Skills That Make a Great Foreign Language Interpreter
Learn which skills matter most in foreign language interpretation, including cultural fluency, ethics, and subject expertise. See how Kaplan Interpreting leads the way.
Interpreter Shortage: California Tightens Rules
Imagine the supply chain for court interpreters as a funnel. At the top, the Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program was designed to pour in more certified professionals, with $6.8 million earmarked for training and exams. But demand has far outpaced the flow: Cohort 2 applications closed early...
Commonwealth v. Diaz: The Missing Interpreter
A lot of people think interpreters are “support staff.” Commonwealth v. Diaz, a 2020 Pennsylvania Supreme Court case, shows why courts don’t treat it that way. In Diaz, the issue wasn’t whether the interpreter was polite, punctual, or “good enough.” It was whether the defendant could understand w...
The $1,000 “Motion to Eliminate”
In Utah, an attorney learned the hard way what happens when AI’s shortcuts replace human oversight. A motion drafted with ChatGPT cited six fake cases and mistranslated legal terminology, swapping the standard phrase “motion in limine” for the bizarre and nonexistent “motion to eliminate.” The re...
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