Events

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Webinar on Zoom

“For the Record: Presenting Issues to the Court Effectively”

Date: September 27, 2025
Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm CST
Presenter: Carla Mathers, Esq., SC:L

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Contact the Court Interpreter Program to register (interpreter.info@wicourts.gov).

Free for interpreters on the Wisconsin Court Interpreter Roster
Other Participants: $45 - https://www.wicourts.gov/services/payment/paymentcip.htm

Target audience: Court Interpreters (all languages)

Description

Interpreters often face ethical issues occasioned by a lack of understanding of their role and their place within the court. In trying to explain the issues to courts and legal personnel, interpreters often struggle. This session suggests a framework used by attorneys in developing legal discourse. Taught in law schools as the framework for writing motions and preparing oral arguments, the system provides a formula familiar to the listener. Adapted to presenting interpreter issues, the system has been effective in assisting interpreters to more effectively communicate with legal personnel. The goal is to provide an effective and efficient framework for interpreters to ensure their work is ethical and accurate.

This seminar will provide a review of the system learned and used by attorneys to present rational and logical arguments to the courts. Participants will explore the use of this system to examine pragmatic and ethical issues that necessitate the interpreter’s interjection into a proceeding. The seminar will critically examine the case law, statutory, and ethical basis for various roles and decisions interpreters make and provide practice opportunities for interpreters.

Objectives

  • Participants will be able to state the three models of logical reasoning.
  • Participants will be able to articulate in a logical fashion (major premise, minor premise to conclusion) the justification for providing various configurations of interpreters for a variety of scenarios.
  • Participants will apply the model to scenarios and present those scenarios to the class.
  • Comprehension will be measured by in-class presentations by participants of self-created ethical quandaries, which incorporate, and state the type of reasoning used to arrive at the various options.

Refund and cancellation policy

  • Participants will receive a full refund, minus an administrative fee, if the participant cancels attendance within 60 days of the webinar.
  • If the sponsor cancels the event, all participants will receive a full refund of their money.
  • All participants acknowledge that there are circumstances beyond the Wisconsin Court Interpreter Program's control that may require the webinar to be rescheduled.

Reasonable accommodations

It is the goal of the Director of State Courts to provide a learning environment that is characterized by mutual trust and respect, mutual helpfulness, freedom of expression, and acceptance of differences. To achieve these goals requires the cooperation of our participants. We ask that participants strive to maintain a climate of mutuality among those present, an acceptance of others as full partners in the learning process, and an openness to the value and utility of the varying experiences and perspectives of everyone involved. We also ask that participants arrive on time for programming, return from breaks promptly, focus on the current topic of discussion, and participate actively in the learning process.

Bio: Carla Mathers, Esq. SC:L

WisRID is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities.
This Sponsor Initiated Activity is offered for 0.40 CEUs at the Professional Studies Content Knowledge Level.