Shannon Baieri was sentenced for driving drunk, which resulted in the death of a baby girl. Baieri is required to report for a six-month jail term within 60 days and has a list of conditions that must be followed. Baieri understood her sentence, however the victim's family did not and required the assistance of a court interpreter.
Lupe Teran sat next to the victim's family in the courtroom and relayed every word of the court proceeding to them—including the judge's well wishes for the family and their soon-to-be newborn.
Teran is kept busy by translating for most court proceedings in the area, while his wife Adela translates inside the local county jail. According to Teran, "I'm not an attorney, I can't give legal advice or anything like that. I just try to help people out." As an interpreter, Teran must translate the exact words of court officers, such as the prosecution, defense, and judge, along with any witnesses.
Teran is not yet certified as a court interpreter, but has completed every step in the process except the written test. He is one of the only interpreters in the area that has attempted this task because the area in which he works does not require interpreter certification.
The reason many do not become certified is that it is a long and tedious process and as Teran states, it "is going to take forever… it is very hard."
22 December 2008
