RULE 14.200. REGISTRATION

(a) Registration. Court interpreters shall, prior to providing interpreter
services, become registered with the Office of the State Courts Administrator.

(b) General Prerequisites. Unless otherwise provided, all applicants
completing prerequisites for registration must:

(1) as an initial prerequisite, attend a two-day orientation program
administered by the Office of the State Courts Administrator or board-approved
training provider;

(2) pass a written examination approved by the board, which shall
include an ethics component;

(3) submit an approved reporting form documenting completion of
20 hours of courtroom observation;

(4) take an oath to uphold the Code of Professional Conduct
adopted in these rules;

(5) undergo and pass a background check according to standards
prescribed by the board and published in board operating procedure;

(6) agree to obtain 16 credits of continuing education from a
continuing education program approved by the board; and

(7) agree to diligently pursue designation as a certified, language
skilled, or provisionally approved interpreter and, within the first year of any two-
year registration or applicable renewal period, submit to:

(i) at least 1 full oral performance examination approved by
the board, or, in the event a full oral performance examination is unavailable,
submit to a board-approved abbreviated oral examination and demonstrate
functional speaking ability in English and a non-English language through oral
proficiency interviews as a prerequisite to taking the abbreviated examination;
(ii) at least 1 approved oral proficiency interview in English
and a non-English language for which there is no state-certifying examination as
an assessment of functional speaking ability; or

(iii) at least 1 equivalent state-certifying examination in
another state that is in accordance with board-approved requisites; and

(8) submit an application for registration and enclose an initial
application fee in an amount set by the supreme court.

(c) Renewal and Maintenance of Registration. Registration under this
rule shall be valid for a period of 2 years. Before any person’s registration may be
renewed, he or she must:

(1) complete 16 credits of continuing education through a board-
approved program and submit an application for continuing education credit on a
reporting form furnished by the board;

(2) complete 20 law-related professional court interpreting
assignments, or a lesser number of assignments totaling no fewer than 40 hours;

(3) pay any applicable renewal fee in an amount set by the supreme
court; and

(4) if not officially designated as certified, language skilled, or
provisionally approved, comply again with subdivisions (b)(4), (b)(5), and (b)(7)
of this rule.

Officially designated state-level court interpreters who are employed by the
courts in court interpreting positions may, rather than reporting discrete law-related
professional assignments, provide proof of court employment and an affidavit
averring compliance with this requirement. Court interpreters unable to complete
the required professional court interpreting assignments because of a limited need
for interpreting services in their language or in other exceptional circumstances
may be eligible, upon written request and board approval, for an extension of time
or exemption. A language skilled or provisionally approved interpreter who is
granted an extension must, in lieu of a biennial renewal fee and as a condition of
maintaining registration and any official state-level designation, pay a fee in an
amount proportionate to the time of extension.
(d) Letters Confirming Registration and Renewal. Letters confirming
registration and renewal of registration shall be issued to persons satisfying
requirements under this rule. Any official state-level designation held by the
registered interpreter shall be noted in such letters.

(e) Approved Continuing Education. The board shall keep and
maintain a list of approved continuing education programs. Approval of an
educational program or activity not listed shall be at the board’s discretion and
subject to approval on a case-by-case basis.

(f) Notification. The board shall notify all registered court interpreters in
writing of the expiration of their registration and any corresponding official state-
level designation at least 90 days before such date. Notice shall be given by
regular United States mail or via e-mail, directed to the last postal or e-mail
address on file with the board.

(g) Administrative Suspension. Registration and any corresponding
official state-level designation shall be suspended automatically upon failure to
comply with requirements under rule 14.200(c), but may be reinstated upon
application to the board, accompanied by payment and made within 60 days of the
date of suspension. Upon expiration of the 60-day grace period, registration and
any official state-level designation shall be revoked and any request for
reinstatement must be made in accordance with rule 14.450.

(h) Administrative Revocation. Registration shall be automatically
revoked for any person who fails to submit to at least one of the foregoing
examinations within the first year of any two-year registration period, except for
registrants who have previously achieved the designation of certified, language
skilled, or provisionally approved court interpreter. A court interpreter whose
registration is revoked under this subdivision shall not be eligible for registration
for a period of 1 year following revocation and must thereafter comply with all
requirements of subdivision (b) of this rule.

(i) Threshold Performance. Registration may be revoked at the
discretion of the board for any person who fails to attain minimum scores, in
accordance with standards prescribed by the board and published in board
operating procedures, on the sight translation, simultaneous interpretation, and
consecutive interpretation components during a single test administration as
specified under subdivision (b)(7)(i) or (b)(7)(iii), or who fails to demonstrate
satisfactory functional speaking ability as prescribed by the board during an oral
proficiency interview under subdivision (b)(7)(ii).

(j) Persons Holding Valid Designation Before October 1, 2015. A
person holding the designation of certified, language skilled, or provisionally
approved interpreter before October 1, 2015, is deemed to be registered for the
remainder of the two-year compliance period then applicable to such person. Such
person’s registration shall expire on the date which is two years following official
designation or the last renewal of such designation. Such person must thereafter
renew registration under subdivision (c) of this rule.