Edgar Hidalgo, MA

• BA Translation & Interpretation Studies (CSULB)
• MA Spanish (CSUF)
• California State Certified Court Interpreter
• California State Certified Medical Interpreter
• Former Instructor Legal Interpretation (California State University, Fullerton)
• Former Instructor Legal Interpretation (University of California, Riverside)

1. Introduction to Court Related Scenarios: (15 minutes)

Brief explanation of why these specific subjects were chosen and their importance in court interpreting.

2. Automobiles and traffic related terms: (1 hour)

Perhaps the most common type of vocabulary that interpreters will encounter in legal settings will be that related to automobiles and traffic. Court Interpreters must have a substantial working knowledge in this area to effectively interpret in traf}c court, DUI trails, and others. In this section we will be covering parts of a car, automobile related terms, and DUI terminology.

3. Physical Descriptions, Clothing & Apparel: (1hour)

During direct and cross-examinations, there will be sections during a trial where witnesses will be asked to describe the physical appearance of certain individuals and if they were wearing specific articles of clothing. In some cases, certain parts of the human anatomy will be mentioned. Here we will place importance on the vocabulary related to human body parts, physical descriptions, articles of clothing, adornments, and others.

4. Firearms: (1hour 30 minutes)

The field of firearms & ballistics is very broad and can be somewhat overwhelming for those that don’t have an interest in the subject matter. However, understanding what some of the most important terms and concepts are can aid the interpreter in some of the most complicated trials. Terms that will be covered in this section are handguns, ri~es, shotguns, and basic ballistics.

5. Tools & Weapons other than firearms: (1hour)

A great percentage of crimes (in domestic violence or other disputes) occur with household items that are readily available to individuals in their kitchens or garages. Some of the terms that will be covered in this section are construction site tools, household items, and garage tools.

6. Drugs & Fingerprints: (1 hour)

Terminology used by expert witnesses abounds in the legal field. Just as we have weapons, tools, and others; we also have other specialized terms that can come up at any time in a trial. Time restrictions in this webinar will not allow us to cover all these areas of knowledge, however, there are two that are of the essence: drugs and fingerprints. Drugs continue to be more prevalent than ever in our society and courtroom settings, so it is important for interpreters to be familiarized with the most common drugs, how they are used, common street names, and other important information. In the same way, fingerprints continue to be one of the most important tools of identification in forensics and one we must fully understand. Some terms and concepts we will cover will be arches, loops, whorls, ridges, bifurcations, latent & patent fingerprints, and others.

TBA