Court Interpreter (Spanish)

Orange County Superior Court; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 102,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a vital role in the judicial system as a Court Interpreter, where you will facilitate communication in Spanish during court proceedings. This position demands a high level of expertise in legal terminology and interpretation skills, ensuring that all parties understand the proceedings clearly. With a commitment to justice and equality, this opportunity allows you to make a meaningful impact in the community. Enjoy competitive salary and comprehensive benefits while working in a dynamic environment dedicated to public service. If you are passionate about language and justice, this is the perfect role for you.

Benefits

Defined Benefit Retirement Plan

Choice of five medical plans

Health Reimbursement Arrangement

Vacation and sick leave packages

14 paid holidays per year

Educational reimbursement

Optional deferred compensation program

Compensatory time off

Employee Assistance Program

Discount programs

Qualifications

• Certified Court Interpreter in Spanish required for court proceedings.
• Ability to interpret legal terminology and documents accurately.

Responsibilities

• Interprets court proceedings in Spanish and English.
• Performs sight translations of legal documents.
• Researches legal terminology for accurate interpretation.

Skills

Spanish Interpretation

Legal Terminology

Consecutive Interpretation

Simultaneous Interpretation

Education

Certified Court Interpreter Certification

Job description

Position Information

COURT INTERPRETER (SPANISH)

Deadline to apply for this recruitment: This recruitment will remain open on a continuous basis until the needs of the Court have been met and may close at any time.

This recruitment is open to external candidates, internal OCSC employees, and internal OCSC promotions. The eligible list established from this recruitment will be used to fill current and future vacancies.

ANNUAL SALARY

$95,284.80 - $101,108.80

Benefits Highlights

Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (2.50% at 67 formula)

Choice of five medical plans

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

Vacation and sick leave packages

14 paid holidays per year

Educational & professional reimbursement

Optional deferred compensation program (457 plan)

TELEWORK/ON-SITE OPPORTUNITY

This position is not eligible for telework opportunities.

Opportunity Details

About Orange County Superior Court

The Orange County Superior Court is the third largest court of general jurisdiction in California. We have courthouses throughout the county, including locations in Orange, Westminster, Fullerton, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana. We have a staff of about 1,500 and an operating budget of nearly $250 million. The Court's Judges, Commissioners and employees are recognized for their high standards of achievement, integrity, and diversity. The Court is committed to ensuring equal access to court services and enhancing public confidence in the court system.

To learn more about the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, visit our homepage at www.occourts.org.

About The Position

The Court Interpreter performs a wide variety of language interpretation activities on an assigned and as needed basis for the Superior Court of California and for parties to proceedings, including witnesses, defendants, attorneys, other court personnel, and the public. Court Interpreters perform consecutive and simultaneous interpretation of courtroom proceedings and other related interpreting services as needed. Incumbents in this classification also perform sight translation (reading written texts and giving an oral translation of text) as needed. This position requires travel within a designated geographic region and may additionally require travel throughout Orange County.

Duties for the classification may include, but are not limited to:

Interprets from and into English and the applicable non-English language using simultaneous and consecutive modes at court proceedings and for other court-related departments at the direction of the court.

Makes sight translations for the benefit of the court of documents including, but not limited to, court petitions, reports, waivers, felony disposition statement forms, and other documents.

Interprets for judges, attorneys, court staff, and other court-related departments at the direction of the court.

Notifies the court of any issues or situations that may impede the interpreters' performance.

Researches and understands terminology used in court and functions of the court which may include but not be limited to legal, technological, scientific, and/or medical terminology.

Reviews the daily docket and receives daily calendar assignments from the Trial Court Interpreter Coordinator (or designee) and accurately completes daily activity logs, or other documentation as required.

Performs other language interpretation duties as assigned, such as providing general court information at an information counter to the non-English speaking public and processes documents related to interpretation.

To view the full job description, please click on the following link:

COURT INTERPRETER

Minimum Qualifications

REQUIRED CERTIFICATION

Possession of a valid Certificate as a "Certified Court Interpreter" in Spanish issued by the Judicial Council of California on behalf of the State of California. Applicants who do not possess this certification will not be considered.

Other Requirements

Possession of a valid California driver's license or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

NOT CERTIFIED?

If you would like more information on how to become a certified Court Interpreter, please visit www.courts.ca.gov/7996.htm.

Additional Information

APPLICATION PROCESS

All applicants are required to submit a completed online application and supplemental questionnaire. To learn more about how to create an application, click HERE. Résumés will not be accepted in lieu of the required application and supplemental questionnaire. For tips on completing/updating your application, refer to our "Helpful Application Tips" guide by clicking HERE.

SELECTION PROCESS

STEP 1: Applications will be reviewed by Human Resources to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and/or desirables. It is to your benefit to include all current and previous related work experience. When listing Court experience, please include dates and classification of each position held, if more than one. Only those who meet the minimum qualifications and desirables (if applicable) will proceed to the next step in the recruitment process.

STEP 2: Candidates’ supplemental question responses may be evaluated and ranked. Depending on the number of applications, additional assessments and/or screening interviews may be conducted.

STEP 3: Those candidates who are successful in the assessment/review may be placed on the eligible list and may be considered for an interview. Placement on the eligible list is not a guarantee of interview or employment. All candidates will be notified via email of their status at each step of the process. Additional steps in the selection process will include a local background check and a reference check.

BACKGROUND CHECK

A thorough background check will be conducted, including but not limited to work experience, education, certifications, driving record, criminal record, litigation judgment or verdict, and financial/credit information. Fingerprints of candidates are also taken as part of our background check process.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

Orange County Superior Court provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, upon request. Please contact the Human Resources Department at [e-mail] if you feel that you will need a reasonable accommodation for any aspect of the selection process.

ELIGIBLE LIST

This recruitment will be used to establish an eligible list for current and future vacancies. The eligible list will remain active until the list is exhausted, or a new recruitment opens.

STATUS NOTIFICATIONS

You will be notified by email during the process of this recruitment through governmentjobs.com. Please check your email spam/junk folders and accept emails ending with governmentjobs.com and occourts.org. If your information changes, please update your profile at http://www.governmentjobs.com/.

E-VERIFY

The Superior Court of California, County of Orange participates in the E-Verify program which confirms employment eligibility of new hires.

QUESTIONS?

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Gloria Ojeda at [e-mail]. For general employment information, please click HERE.

Orange County Superior Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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INSURANCE PLANS: Employees have an option to enroll in one of five medical plans; three HMO's (Cigna Select, Cigna Choice, and Kaiser Choice) and two PPO's (Wellwise Choice or Sharewell Choice), both administered by Blue Shield. The employee contributions toward the HMO or PPO insurance vary based on plan, coverage level and participation in the annual wellness credit program. To view health plan rates and summaries of benefits and coverage, click here.

Various non-medical benefits (dental, vision, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short and long-term disability (STD) insurance) are available and are administered by the Court.

HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENT: The Court will contribute $61.50 per pay period into individual employee Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) accounts for eligible full-time employees ($30.75 per pay period for eligible part-time). This Court contribution will increase 2.5% annually each first full pay period in July.

LONG-TERM CARE: CalPERS Long-Term Care coverage is available to current and former California public employees, retirees, their spouses, parents, parents-in-law, children, siblings (including stepbrothers and stepsisters), grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law between the ages of 18 and 79 when they apply. Eligible family members may apply even if the public employee or retiree who makes them eligible does not apply or is not approved for coverage. NOTICE: CalPERS has temporarily suspended open enrollment for the Long-Term Care Program due to current uncertainty in the long-term care market. Therefore, until further notice, CalPERS will no longer accept new applications for coverage at this time.

RETIREMENT: Defined Benefit, fully qualified plan based on the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Government Code Section 31450 et. al.). Employee and Court contributions are based on several variables including age, hire date, and salary. The plan is administered by an independent agency, Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS), and has reciprocity with various California systems. Currently, eligible new employees hired on or after January 1, 2013, will be enrolled in a defined benefit retirement plan referred to as Plan U (2.5% at 67 formula). *If you were employed by an OCERS employer or reciprocal agency prior to January 1, 2013, you have less than a six-month break in service, and reciprocity is established, you may be eligible to select from two other retirement pension formula options (Plan J or Plan P). See OCERS website for more information.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Optional deferred compensation 457 & Roth 457 Deferred Contribution Plans are available.

VACATION ACCRUAL: New full-time employees earn 80 hours of vacation after the employee has accumulated 2,080 regularly scheduled paid hours (after approximately 1 year of service). Following the first year, vacation is accrued as follows: 1-3 years, 80 hours per year; 4-9 years, 120 hours per year; 10-19 years, 160 hours per year; 20 or more year, 200 hours per year. Maximum accrual of hours: 0-9 years; 240 hours; 10 or more years, 320 hours. Part-time employees accrue vacation on a prorated basis.

HOLIDAYS: 14 paid holidays per year.

SICK LEAVE: 0-3 years accrue 72 hours of sick time per year as full-time employees. After 3 years, full-time employees accrue 96 hours per year. Part-time employees accrue sick leave on a prorated basis. Unlimited accrual. Some sick leave maybe converted to cash or vacation time.

COMP TIME: Employees receive compensatory time every March. Full-time employees receive 4 hours and part-time employees receive 2 hours.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: 5 days of paid leave per qualifying instance.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE: Court pays into county administered insurance fund.

OVERTIME: Court pays overtime (time and a half) for all hours worked over 40 hours per week.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION: Administered by the Judicial Council's, third party administrator.

EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT: Court reimburses up to $3,500 per year of tuition for approved, necessary courses, subject to availability of funds.

FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT AND FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS: Employees of the Court may be eligible for Federal Student Loan Repayment and Loan Forgiveness Programs.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Eight (8) hours of paid leave per fiscal year shall be granted to attend approved, necessary courses, subject to availability of funds.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP): Court offers EAP confidential services to assist employees with marital, family, emotional, legal, financial, and chemical dependency problems. This service is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

DISCOUNT PROGRAMS: There are numerous discount programs available to Court employees. These include, but are not limited to discounts on hearing aids, pet insurance, local attractions, technology products, wellness services and gym memberships.

ONLINE PRIVACY BENEFIT: Employees may elect to enroll in a voluntary online privacy protection plan provided by IronWall360. This benefit helps protect employee’s online privacy by searching the Internet and locating any personal information and making sure it is removed.

Provisions are subject to terms: Memorandum of Understanding.

01

INSTRUCTIONS: The information you provide on this questionnaire will be evaluated and used to determine your eligibility to participate in the next phase of the selection process and may also be used in a competitive evaluation of qualifications. Be as specific as possible and include all information requested. If you do not have experience in an area, please answer "N/A". Statements such as "see application," will not be accepted in lieu of a response. All employers referenced on this questionnaire must be listed on your application. Do you understand these instructions?

• Yes
• No
  
  

02

I understand that a résumé MAY NOT be submitted in lieu of the employment application (or completion of the work history section of the application). A résumé may be submitted in addition to the employment application, but applicants are selected for an interview and/or testing based primarily on information supplied by the application and supplemental forms. Do you understand these instructions?

• Yes
• No
  
  

03

RESIDENCY/WORK ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT: I understand that I may live outside of the State of California while participating in a recruitment process, and that if I am selected for this position, I must reside within the State to be eligible for Court employment. In addition, work performed while working for the Court, even remote work, must be done within the State of California. Please note the Orange County Superior Court does not sponsor work visas for applicants. Do you understand this requirement?

• Yes
• No
  
  

04

This position requires a valid certificate as a "Certified Court Interpreter" in Spanish, issued by the Judicial Council of California. Please upload a copy of your certification. Select the appropriate response below.

• I confirm that I have uploaded a copy of my certificate issued by the Judicial Council of California.
• I do not possess a valid certificate issued by the Judicial Council of California.
  
  

05

Indicate the types of cases that you have interpreted for (check all that apply):

• Civil/Small Claims
• Probate/Mental Health
• Family Law
• Juvenile
• Criminal
• Traffic
• Other
  
  

06

If you listed "Other" above, please list the other type cases you have interpreted for below.

07

Travel within the county is required, do you possess a valid California Driver License, Class C or higher?

• Yes
• No
• Required Question