Redefining Ethics in Judiciary Interpreting with Janis Palma [EP 80]

Subject to Interpretation

In this episode, veteran judiciary interpreter Janis Palma and our host Maria Ceballos-Wallis, delve into the evolving ethics of judiciary interpreting. They explore the foundational impact of the Court Interpreters Act of 1978, the influence of early conference interpreting standards, and the challenges interpreters face in maintaining ethical practices while ensuring fair due process. They also touch on how technology and collaboration are reshaping the field and the necessity of bridging linguistic and cultural gaps to enhance communication for limited English proficient individuals.

About this week's guest:

Janis Palma has been a federally-certified judiciary interpreter since 1981. She is also certified by NAJIT (the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators) as an English-Spanish interpreter and translator, and by the State of Texas as a Master Licensed Court Interpreter.

She holds a Ph.D. in Language Studies, a Master’s in Legal Studies, and a Master’s in Puerto Rican and Caribbean History and Literature. She is now enrolled in the Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design Ph.D. program at Clemson University.

She has been teaching judiciary interpreting through professional associations, private organizations, higher education institutions, and government agencies since 1986. As an independent researcher her interest is focused right now on the intersections between judiciary interpreting theory and practice, law and legal language, but is also starting to explore the rhetoric of justice for language minorities in the U.S.

Her most recent published work includes “Literary metaphors in legal English and their conveyance to Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals in the context of U.S. courts.” (Oct. 2024) International Journal for the Semiotics of Law.; “When interpreting does not remove the language barrier: interpreter ethics at odds with due process rights in U.S. courts.” Texas Hispanic Journal of Law & Policy, U. of Texas at Austin Law School, Vol. 29, Spring 2023. (pp. 25-45).; The Legal Duty of Care: What is it and how does it impact the role of the judiciary interpreter? (Available at The ATA Chronicle. Vol 52)