By Roosevelt Jean Francois, Fulbright Scholar
Legal Interpreter & Translator | Haitian Creole Legal Language Specialist

Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending the annual conference of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators in Atlanta. Like many conferences, it was filled with conversations about language access, ethics, professional standards, and the evolving role of interpreters in our courts.

Before traveling to Atlanta, I had already read NAJIT’s newly released position paper on team interpreting in lengthy legal proceedings. After reading it, discussing it with colleagues at the conference, and hearing it presented in person, I came away convinced that this is one of the most important conversations currently taking place in our profession.

One topic, however, stayed with me long after the conference ended: Team interpreting.

At first glance, the concept seems simple. When legal proceedings last for many hours—or even multiple days—two interpreters should work together, alternating responsibilities and supporting each other throughout the assignment.

Simple.

Yet the implications are profound.

Many attorneys, judges, and even some interpreters still view interpreting as a solitary profession. One interpreter enters the courtroom, puts on the headset, and does the work. The assumption is that language interpretation is primarily about language.

The NAJIT paper reminds us that interpretation is also about cognitive endurance.

Every minute, an interpreter is listening, analyzing, retaining information, processing meaning, and reproducing that meaning accurately in another language. This intense mental activity continues without pause for hours during trials, depositions, asylum hearings, and other complex legal proceedings.

Research cited in the paper confirms what many experienced interpreters already know from practice: accuracy declines as mental fatigue increases.

The comparison that came to my mind while listening to the presentation was professional athletics.

No one expects a marathon runner to sprint for twenty-six miles.

No one expects an airline pilot to fly indefinitely without relief.

Yet interpreters are sometimes expected to maintain peak cognitive performance through eight-hour, ten-hour, or even longer proceedings.

The result is predictable. Fatigue accumulates. Concentration weakens. Details are missed. Accuracy suffers.

And when accuracy suffers, language access suffers.

The consequences in legal settings are significant. A missed nuance during testimony, a misunderstood question during cross-examination, or an inaccurate rendering of a witness’s statement can affect the integrity of the entire proceeding.

That is why team interpreting is not a luxury.

It is a quality-control measure.

It protects the record.

It protects the parties.

It protects the court.

And it protects the interpreter.

As I reflected on the conversations in Atlanta, I realized that the best interpreters I know do not view team assignments as sharing the workload. They view them as preserving excellence.

One interpreter actively interprets while the second listens, monitors terminology, tracks numbers and names, manages documents, and stands ready to assist when needed. Together, they create a level of accuracy and consistency that is difficult for any single professional to sustain over extended periods.

The NAJIT position paper arrives at an important moment for our profession. Court proceedings are becoming increasingly complex. Remote hearings are common. Multi-day trials involving rare languages are more frequent than ever.

The demand for accuracy continues to rise.

Our standards must rise with it.

As a Haitian Creole court interpreter who regularly works in trials, depositions, asylum interviews, and lengthy legal proceedings across the country, I left Atlanta with a renewed appreciation for team interpreting—not as a convenience, but as a professional necessity.

The message of the paper is clear:

When proceedings become long and cognitively demanding, language access is best served by a team.

Because justice deserves accuracy.

And accuracy requires endurance.

Roosevelt Jean Francois
THE JF TEAM
Legal Interpreter & Translator
English • Haitian Creole • French
Accurate • Confidential • Professional

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