Committee to Improve Interpreting and Translation in the Wisconsin Courts
Appointed by the director of state courts, this committee is charged with making recommendations to improve the quality and availability of court interpreters in Wisconsin's state and municipal courts.
Mandate of the committee
Identify, document, and prioritize interpreting and translation issues, concerns, and opportunities in Wisconsin state and municipal courts.
Draft policies and practices for implementation by the Court Interpreter Program that will have measurable, tangible benefits for Wisconsin courts and Limited English Proficient (LEP) court users.
Discuss potential changes in statute and court rule to respond to federal and state mandates.
Serve in an advisory capacity to the Director of State Courts on interpreter related issues, including efforts undertaken in conjunction with the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Council of Language Access Coordinators (Council). Collect data from Wisconsin courts and distribute Council and other interpreting related information and materials to court interpreting personnel as needed.
Develop recommendations concerning educational programs for judges, clerks, attorneys, interpreters, and other stakeholders.
Examine current and emerging technology and related costs to determine what would serve the needs of Wisconsin courts and could be integrated with existing technology systems to improve access to qualified language services.
Develop methods and materials to foster general public and governmental understanding of the need for quality interpreting and translation in the court system and to promote financial support needed to continue to provide such services.
Review policies, rules, and programs in other state court systems to identify those measures potentially beneficial in the Wisconsin Courts.
Committee membership
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Judge Carolina Stark (Chair) | Circuit Court Judge, Milwaukee County |
| Judge Rian Radtke | Circuit Court Judge, Trempealeau County |
| Judge John Manydeeds | Circuit Court Judge, Eau Claire County |
| Judge Emily Lonergan | Circuit Court Judge, Outagamie County |
| Commissioner John Mueller | Deputy Family Court Commissioner, Racine County |
| Mr. Samuel Christensen | Supreme Court Clerk |
| Ms. Sharon Millermon | Clerk of Circuit Court, Barron County |
| Ms. Carrie Wastlick | Clerk of Circuit Court, Sauk County |
| Mr. Louis Moore | District Court Administrator, District 2 |
| Atty. Megan L. Sprecher | Community Member |
| Ms. Christina Green | Certified Spanish Interpreter |
| Ms. Katherine Block | Certified ASL Interpreter |
| Mr. Eduardo "Leo" Martin | Certified Spanish Interpreter |
| Mr. Zongcheng Moua | Hmong Interpreter |
Meetings are held twice a year.
Character and Fitness sub-committee
The Character and Fitness Sub-Committee is a permanent group consisting of three (3) rotating members of the Committee. The composition of the Sub-Committee at all times will include at least one (1) judge. The Sub-Committee’s charge is to consider all relevant information presented and to make a recommendation to the Director as to whether the interpreter’s character and fitness are sufficient to ensure the integrity and competence of interpreting services and the maintenance of high standards in the administration of justice.
Disciplinary policy
The opportunity to provide interpreter services to the courts under the direction of the Director of State Courts office is at the Director’s complete and continuing discretion because of the critical reliance the courts must have on the skills, performance, and integrity of the interpreter in performing duties for the court. Any interpreter who is registered with the CIP is subject to discipline from the Director’s Office for ethics violations.
Complaints against interpreters
Any person may initiate a complaint against an interpreter by filing it with a judge, clerk of court, District Court Administrator (DCA), or the Court Interpreter Program (CIP). All complaints must be in writing, must be signed, and must describe the alleged inappropriate conduct.
For information about filing a complaint against an interpreter, visit the Complaints against interpreters" page.
For more information on court interpreting visit the court services for interpreters section of the site.