Below is the Interpreter Roster mandated by Act 172 of 2006 (Court and Administrative Proceeding Interpreters Certification Act). The roster consists of interpreters who are registered and in good standing with the Interpreter Certification Program. Interpreters appearing in the roster have completed, or are in compliance with, current program requirements in order to achieve certification. As of the publication of this list, only interpreters appearing on the roster are eligible to work within the Pennsylvania Judicial System.
As of January 1, 2009, interpreters appearing in the roster fall into two broad categories: certified and otherwise qualified. There are two types or certified interpreters. Those classified as Master and Certified. The otherwise qualified category consists of Qualified, Conditional, and Registered interpreters. Interpreter classification is determined by the level of expertise achieved and the skills demonstrated by each interpreter based on their performance in the various examinations during the certification process.
In compliance with the statute, when looking for an interpreter, courts must attempt to obtain a certified interpreter first. Only when a certified interpreter is not readily available, should an otherwise qualified interpreter be obtained. However, there are some types of cases where only certified interpreters should be used. These are felonies and cases where the life, long term liberty, or property of the defendant is at stake. Jury trials should always be staffed by certified interpreters. Guidance has been provided to the courts to assist in the process of determining the need for an interpreter, the qualifications and type of interpreter required according to the type of case in which their services are needed.
We continue to implement the certification process but it consists of several progressive steps that cannot logistically be completed all at once. So currently there are no certified interpreters available for all languages. Therefore, to comply with the statute, courts will need to continue to use otherwise qualified interpreters in those languages until the certification process begins producing sufficient numbers of certified interpreters to meet the demand.
How to Search the Roster
The roster is organized in alphabetical order first by language, then by interpreter classification level, followed by county in alphabetical order and finally by interpreter last name also in alphabetical order. For example, to search for a Certified Spanish interpreter for a hearing in Reading, Berks County, you would search the roster as follows:
1. Look for the language listing in bold and underlined down the first column for Spanish.
2. Once you have reached the language, look for the classification under language. Master is listed first, certified is next, followed by qualified, conditional and finally registered.
3. Next look in the second column alphabetically under county until you reach Berks.
4. The third column indicates location within the county, Reading in this case.
5. The fourth column lists the interpreters in alphabetical order by last name and their contact information (phone, e-mail, agency they work for, if any, and agency contact information if provided by the interpreter).
6. The fifth column indicates if the interpreter is available to provide telephone interpretation services if appropriate. In the case of sign language interpreters, phone availability implies the use of video phone equipment.
7. Finally, the last column indicates the interpreter’s availability. When and where the interpreter is willing to work.
When trying to obtain the services of an interpreter, start by searching for interpreters locally. If you cannot locate one in your immediate area, try contacting other interpreters progressively further away until you find one willing to provide services. Even when an interpreter has indicated a preference to work in a particular location or region, some might be willing to travel to your location. If you need the services of an interpreter for a language not appearing in the roster, please contact the Interpreter Program for assistance.
This roster will be updated regularly and copies are sent to all District Court Administrators and Clerks of Court in all jurisdictions throughout the Commonwealth. The most up-to-date version will be continually posted in this webpage.
Pennsylvania Interpreter Roster