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
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The roles and protocols of court interpreters
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Articulate the differences between legal interpreting and court interpreting
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Positioning of court interpreters
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Courtroom personnel
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Prerequisite knowledge and skills for a legal interpreter
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Working in deaf/hearing interpreter teams
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Court code of conduct
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Adequate preparation for a legal assignment
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Text analysis of commonly encountered texts
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Qualifying and testifying as an expert
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 |
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| Cohort 2 | Sat, Sun | Jun 13, 14 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
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| Cohort 3 | Sat, Sun | Sept 12, 13 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
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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.
Continuing Education
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Interpretek is an approved RID Sponsor for Continuing Education Activities. This Professional Studies Program is offered for 1.2 PS Legal CEUs at the "Some" content knowledge level. |
Reasonable Accommodations Policy
Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of DE LA MORA Institute of Interpretation to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified student or participant with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of participating in classes and workshops sponsored and hosted by DE LA MORA Institute of Interpretation. For training done in support of private or state contracts, reasonable accommodation will be determined by the policy of the sponsoring individual or organization. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact us by email at [email protected] or call our office at (407) 677-4155.
Non-Discrimination Policy
DE LA MORA Institute of Interpretation does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of vendors, and provision of services - such as classes, webinars, and workshops. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, subcontractors, and students.
Safe Learning Environment
DE LA MORA Institute of Interpretation's classes and workshops are a safe learning environment. Comments and opinions shared within the class setting will not be published or made available to anyone outside of the original registrants, event coordinators, and those approved by the event sponsor to take the course. If recordings are made of the event, these recordings will only be made available to those approved by the event sponsor to take the course, as a reference material for review for a limited amount of time.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Notice of event cancellations or changes of date/time will be issued a minimum of one week prior to the event date.
Attendance Policy & Certificate of Completion
This class is delivered live via Zoom and will not be recorded. 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.
Contact us for questions:
(407) 677-4155
[email protected]
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.
