A. Responsibility for Obtaining. When interpreters are required for proceed-
ings instituted by the United States, the clerk of court will locate certified or
otherwise qualified interpreters for court proceedings. However, the U.S.
attorney=s office is responsible for locating, contracting, and paying
interpreters for government witnesses. For most other purposes, a party
requiring the services of an interpreter must obtain his or her own
interpreting services. If the defendant is indigent, prior court approval to hire
an interpreter is required as specified in the Guide to Judiciary Policy and 18
U.S.C. ' 3006A(e). If counsel for either party believes that interpreter services
for court proceedings are needed for more than an hour, counsel must notify
the clerk of court as soon as possible.
If participants in federal court proceedings are deaf, hearing impaired or have
communication disabilities, the court will provide sign language interpreters.
B. Certified Telephone Interpreters. In criminal cases, the court may use cer-
tified interpreters supplied by the Telephone Interpreting Program sponsored
by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts for hearings that do
not exceed an hour. Any objection to the use of such an interpreter must be
made before the commencement of the proceeding being interpreted.
