Interpreters

The Oakland County Circuit and Probate Courts have discontinued local testing and qualification of interpreters. However, the courts will maintain a Local Interpreter List tailored from the State Court Administrative Office’s (SCAO) statewide certification as posted on SCAO's website. The courts’ local list may be updated periodically as deemed appropriate.

Beginning January 1, 2016, Interpreters and Interpreter Firms must be registered with the State Court Administrative Office's Language Access Certification Program to be eligible* for foreign language interpretation in legal proceedings. More information regarding the state sponsored language certification program can be found on the Michigan Courts website. Interpreters under this rule are classified by the court as "court approved."

• Code of Professional Conduct for Interpreters in Michigan Courts

*Note: Certain exclusions apply MCR 1.111(F)(2)

The Michigan Supreme Court created new standards for foreign language interpreters when it adopted MCR 1.111, Foreign Language Interpreters. The rule establishes classifications for certified and qualified foreign language interpreters and the protocol for retaining a foreign language interpreter for a Limited English Proficient (LEP) individual. Courts should retain a certified interpreter when one is reasonably available. If the Court cannot retain a certified interpreter, it should retain a qualified interpreter. When neither a certified nor a qualified interpreter is reasonably available, the Court may reschedule the proceeding or continue pursuant to MCR 1.111(F)(2).

Oakland County Circuit and Probate Courts’ local list is created directly from the published information on the State Court Administrative Office’s website*. If you are a SCAO certified or SCAO qualified interpreter and your name does not appear on the statewide list, you will not be included on the courts’ local list. If your name is not on the statewide list and you have met the state requirements, please contact the State Language Access Coordinator for any inquiries as to errors or omissions on their statewide published list. The current State Language Access Coordinator’s contact information can be found on either of the state websites listed above.

*Note: Certain exclusions apply MCR 1.111(F)(2)

Oakland County Circuit and Probate Courts Language Interpreter Fee Schedule and Service Policy

Please note that you must be registered with the County as a vendor. If you do not have a vendor identification number, please review the information regarding payee registration.

If you are an interpreter for the court and need a copy of the Interpreter Billing Verification Form, please download the form from the link above.  For more information or help, see the Interpreter Billing Instructions.

Questions regarding payments or registration as a County vendor should be directed to the Court Administration Office.

*Please note to complete any of the PDF forms you will need to use a viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or a browser that supports the use of fillable forms such as Internet Explorer 11. Adobe Acrobat Reader is available for many platforms including mobile devices.