Foundations of ASL Court Interpreting

This foundational course provides a comprehensive overview of the U.S. legal system as it applies to American Sign Language (ASL) court interpreting. Designed for practicing and aspiring ASL legal interpreters, the course focuses on the unique roles, responsibilities, and protocols required in courtroom settings.

The class is presented entirely in American Sign Language (ASL). Interpreters will not be provided.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of how court interpreting differs from other areas of legal interpreting and will build the essential knowledge and skills required to work effectively, ethically, and professionally in court environments.


Pre-requisite:

ASL certification required. NIC at any level, or older RID certifications accepted

What you will learn

  • The roles and protocols of court interpreters

  • Articulate the differences between legal interpreting and court interpreting

  • Positioning of court interpreters

  • Courtroom personnel

  • Prerequisite knowledge and skills for a legal interpreter

  • Working in deaf/hearing interpreter teams

  • Court code of conduct

  • Adequate preparation for a legal assignment

  • Text analysis of commonly encountered texts

  • Qualifying and testifying as an expert

Format, Attendance & Completion Requirements

This class is presented live via Zoom and will not be recorded.

  • Pre-Requisite

    ASL certification required. NIC at any level, or older RID certifications accepted.

  • Attendance Policy

    To earn a Certificate of Completion for CEUs, you must attend at least 75% of the class. Please note that refunds are not available once the live session has concluded.

Who Should Attend?

This course is specifically designed for American Sign Language (ASL) Legal Interpreters

  • Skill Level: Foundational

    Suitable for legal interpreters with a deep understanding of both languages and extensive experience and expertise.

  • Language

    Presented in American Sign Language (ASL), interpreter will not be provided

  • Specialization

    Legal Interpreters

2026 Schedule & Class Dates

Below is the complete 2026 calendar for all live sessions.

Each Cohort: 12-Hour Training | All times shown in Eastern Time (ET).

Cohort Class Days Dates Time (ET) Enrollment
Cohort 1 Sat, Sun Mar 14, 15
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sign Up Now →
Cohort 2 Sat, Sun Jun 13, 14 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sign Up Now →
Cohort 3 Sat, Sun Sept 12, 13 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sign Up Now →

New to interpreting?

Check out our FAQ page to learn the answer to important questions like: What does and interpreter do? and What are the requirements to become and interpreter in my state?

Meet the Instructor

Carla Mathers

Carla M. Mathers, Esquire, SC: L practiced law in Maryland and the District of Columbia for twenty years. She currently is an independent consultant teaching legal interpreters and interpreting in legal settings. Ms. Mathers’ law degree is from Howard University School of Law. Ms. Mathers’ interpreting degree is from the College of Southern Idaho. She currently serves on the District of Columbia Courts Language Access Advisory Committee, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Legal Interpreting Credential Task Force and the National Association of the Deaf’s Video Remote Interpreting in Court Task Force. Ms. Mathers previously sat on the Advisory Group for Language Access to develop standards for language access in courts for the American Bar Association. Ms. Mathers also sat on the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts’ Advisory Committee on Interpreters Sub-committee on Ethics and Sub-committee on Testing and Training. Ms. Mathers formerly served as the Legal Program Coordinator for MARIE Center/DOIT Center at the University of Northern Colorado. She serves as an adjunct instructor for the Gallaudet University Department of Interpretation teaching legal interpreting, among other courses. She served as Vice President for the Conference of Interpreter Trainers and sat on the Board of Directors for the Deaf Abused Women’s Network in Washington, D.C. Ms. Mathers is the author of Sign Language Interpreters in Court: Understanding Best Practices, a text for interpreters, attorneys and courts to understand the principles underlying ASL court interpreting.

Who We Are

DE LA MORA Institute of Interpretation is a fully remote online school that trains legal and medical interpreters to work in their respective fields. DLMII was founded in 1998 by Agustín Servin de la Mora from the vision and core belief that interpretation as a chosen profession deserved better educational options. We are constantly striving to stay ahead of the trends and learning styles prevalent in today’s interpreting field through various formats including in-person seminars, live online instruction, and self-paced education. Our mission is to foster understanding and communication through exceptional interpreter education and development, and to advance professional interpretation standards worldwide. Our vision is to become the most accessible interpreter education platform in the world.