(A) Whenever an interpreter is required to be appointed by the Nebraska Judicial Branch, the State Court Administrator’s Office shall strive to appoint interpreters based on a determination of an interpreter’s reasonable availability and the purpose for which the interpreter is needed to ensure the most qualified and certified interpreter is being appointed.
§ 6-703.Appointment of interpreters.
Article 7: Interpreters in the Nebraska Judicial Branch · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule tells Nebraska courts how to appoint interpreters — favoring the most qualified available interpreter, allowing continuances to sort out language needs, requiring two interpreters for longer or Sign Language proceedings, presuming an interpreter is needed once requested, and setting baseline age, oath, and conduct requirements every interpreter must meet.
Full Text of § 6-703
(B) Court proceedings for parties who appear with their own interpreter may be continued pending the court’s determination of language needs of the individual; the qualifications of the interpreter, which includes whether the interpreter meets the standards adopted by the Nebraska Judicial Branch; and the availability of a certified, provisionally certified, or registered interpreter. Provided, however,
(1) In court proceedings in which a Spanish interpreter is utilized, only a certified or registered interpreter shall be allowed.
(2) In court proceedings in which an interpreter is utilized to interpret for a Deaf or hard of hearing person, only an interpreter qualified pursurant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2407 and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 20-150 et seq. shall be allowed.
(C) Number of Interpreters. For any single court proceeding or probation service scheduled for 2 or more hours, two foreign language interpreters shall be appointed. For any single court proceeding or probation service scheduled for more than 1 hour, two Sign Language interpreters shall be appointed. For any single court proceeding or probation service lasting more than 2 hours, if two foreign or Sign Language interpreters are not reasonably available, the interpreter must be given a minimum of a 10-minute break every 30 minutes.
(D) Rebuttable Presumption. There is a rebuttable presumption that an interpreter must be appointed if an interpreter is requested or it is shown that the person cannot readily understand or communicate in the English language.
(E) All interpreters shall be at least 19 years of age, shall take the Interpreter Oath, and shall verify in writing that they have read and understand the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters prior to interpreting for the Nebraska Judicial Branch.
(F) Individuals serving as interpreters for the Nebraska Judicial Branch, pursuant to these rules, shall not be considered employees of the Nebraska Judicial Branch.
See Appendix 1 for Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters and Interpreter Oath.
[Originally numbered as] Rule 2(B)–(D) amended September 17, 2003; [originally numbered as] Rule 2(D) moved to (G) on January 4, 2007, effective July 1, 2007; [originally numbered as] Rule 2(D)–(F) adopted January 4, 2007, effective July 1, 2007; [originally numbered as] Rule 2(B)–(D) and (G) amended June 25, 2008, effective July 1, 2008. Renumbered and codified as § 6-703, effective July 18, 2008; § 6-703(A)-(C) and (E)-(H) amended October 21, 2009; § 6-703(A)-(D) amended March 16, 2011; § 6-701(A)-(C) amended May 16, 2012, effective July 1, 2012; § 6-703(E) amended November 26, 2014; § 6-703(E) and (F) amended April 14, 2021; § 6-703 amended June 12, 2024.
Plain-English Summary
Section 6-703 covers the practical moment when a court appoints an interpreter for a case. The State Court Administrator’s Office is directed to appoint based on the interpreter’s reasonable availability and the purpose the interpreter will serve, so that the most qualified and certified interpreter reasonably available gets the assignment rather than whoever happens to be closest at hand.
The rule builds in flexibility and firm limits at the same time. A court can continue a proceeding while it sorts out a person’s language needs, an interpreter’s qualifications, and whether a certified, provisionally certified, or registered interpreter is available — but Spanish-language proceedings may only use a certified or registered interpreter, and proceedings involving a Deaf or hard-of-hearing person may only use an interpreter who meets the separate statutory standards for that role. For any proceeding running two hours or more, two foreign-language interpreters must be appointed; for Sign Language proceedings running more than an hour, the same two-interpreter requirement applies. Where a second interpreter is not reasonably available for a proceeding lasting more than two hours, the interpreter gets a mandatory 10-minute break every 30 minutes instead.
The rule also creates a rebuttable presumption that an interpreter is needed whenever one is requested or the evidence shows someone cannot readily understand or communicate in English, so a court is not left guessing about whether to provide one. Every interpreter, regardless of category, must be at least 19 years old, take the Interpreter Oath, and confirm in writing that they have read and understand the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters — and none of them count as an employee of the Nebraska Judicial Branch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a court decide which interpreter to appoint?
The State Court Administrator’s Office appoints based on the interpreter’s reasonable availability and the purpose of the assignment, aiming for the most qualified and certified interpreter reasonably available.
Can a party bring their own interpreter to a Nebraska court proceeding?
A proceeding can be continued while the court works out the person’s language needs and whether the party’s interpreter meets the qualification standards, but Spanish-language and Deaf-or-hard-of-hearing proceedings carry their own stricter interpreter requirements.
When does a proceeding require two interpreters instead of one?
Foreign-language proceedings scheduled for two hours or more require two interpreters, and Sign Language proceedings scheduled for more than an hour require two as well.
What happens if a second interpreter is not available for a long proceeding?
The single interpreter must get a minimum 10-minute break every 30 minutes once the proceeding runs past two hours.
Does a party have to prove they need an interpreter?
Not exactly. There is a rebuttable presumption favoring appointment once an interpreter is requested or it is shown the person cannot readily understand or communicate in English.
Are court interpreters considered state employees?
No. Section 6-703 states that individuals serving as interpreters under these rules are not employees of the Nebraska Judicial Branch.
Source & verification. Section text is
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Judicial Branch, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Nebraska. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: appointing an interpreter in nebraska courttwo interpreter rule nebraskarebuttable presumption interpreter neededinterpreter oath age requirementbringing your own interpreter to courtnebraska sign language interpreter appointment