Courtroom Observation Hours

Summary of Requirements:

Rule Requirement: Effective October 1, 2015, applicants seeking registration or official state level court interpreter designations are required by rule 14.200(b)(3) to submit an approved reporting form documenting completion of 20 hours of courtroom observation.

1. The requirement may be satisfied by personally observing interpreted and noninterpreted Florida circuit and county court proceedings, as well as proceedings in the trial courts of other states. The requirement permits no exceptions for persons residing out of state.
2. Courtroom observation hours may be obtained by personally observing courtroom proceedings without actively participating in them so that careful and directed attention is paid to the proceedings.
3. Observation in the federal courts may also be counted toward the requirement, but will be limited to no more than 5 hours, all of which must be personal observation of interpreted proceedings.
4. Language-specific observation is not required. An applicant seeking a court interpreter designation in one language may count toward the requirement proceedings interpreted in any language.
5. Each hour observing proceedings relying on services of certified interpreters may be counted as the equivalent of two hours for purposes of calculating the 20-hour requirement. Each hour observing proceedings relying on services of non-certified interpreters or in non-interpreted proceedings must be calculated based on actual time.

Revised: 12/20/2022