New Mexico Judiciary provided services in 87 languages in fiscal year 2025

Organ Mountain News report

SANTA FE - New Mexico’s Judiciary is expanding its network of interpreters as requests for language access services continue to rise.

State courts provided interpreting services in 87 languages during fiscal year 2025. People requested about 50,300 hours of interpreting in FY25, more than double the hours requested in fiscal year 2021, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The five most frequently requested languages were Spanish, American Sign Language, Navajo, Arabic and Vietnamese.

The courts recently added four newly certified court interpreters and four Justice System Interpreters to the roster of professionals available to provide services. Over the past two years, the Language Access Services program has brought on six fully certified interpreters and a dozen Justice System Interpreters to expand coverage statewide.

“We continue to work to recruit more interpreters, and our training initiatives and other changes are producing solid results — strengthening interpreter readiness and improving statewide access to qualified language professionals,” said Freda Valdez, statewide program manager for Language Access Services.

Interpreting services occur in person and remotely. About 20 fully certified Spanish interpreters and a dozen Justice System Interpreters work with the state court system, although some provide services remotely. The Judiciary employs 13 staff interpreters, including nine members of the Language Access Services team. Most other interpreters work as contractors.

Fully certified interpreters may interpret for any court proceeding, including for jurors. Justice System Interpreters may interpret for most court hearings but not for jurors.

To achieve full certification, interpreters must pass a nationally developed exam that includes both written and oral components. Justice System Interpreters must complete a 24-week Language Access Services program and earn high scores on an oral exam.

Alma Luna of Albuquerque and Luis Cespedes of Raton were among those who recently earned full certification.

“The Spanish interpreter certification process is intense. I started my studies in 2021, and now I work at the Second Judicial District Court where I interpret in multiple settings every day,” Luna said. “I am very proud to have achieved this milestone.”

Cespedes, who works as a freelance contract interpreter, said, “Interpreting is an endless learning experience. This is very exciting for me. My goal remains simple: to facilitate seamless communication while upholding the highest standards of accuracy, professionalism, and integrity of process.”

Language Access Services has recruited candidates through presentations at high schools and universities in New Mexico and is collaborating with the University of Texas at El Paso to integrate part of its certification training into the school’s curriculum.

“Interpreters play an essential role in ensuring equal access to justice for individuals who speak little or no English and for the deaf or hard-of-hearing,” Chief Justice David K. Thomson said.