Innovative Partnership between Judicial Branch and Community College Unveiled

Innovative Partnership between Judicial Branch and Community College Unveiled

Judicial Branch members traveled to Norfolk to announce the collaboration, a first-of-its-kind in the nation, between the state’s judicial branch and the Adult Education Division at Northeast Community College.

Justice William Cassel and Judicial Branch Language Access Coordinator Jennifer Verhein helped lead an informational session on court interpreter training. The presentation in Norfolk was livestreamed to the college’s extended campus in South Sioux City.

During his public remarks, Cassel noted that the partnership with Northeast is an exciting development that has been “an ongoing effort by the Supreme Court now for many, many years, and it is absolutely vital to justice to have accurate interpretation.”

According to Verhein, “This Language Access Partnership with Northeast Community College is a wonderful example of that innovation to meet the ever-increasing expectations for access to justice.  And it is the language skills and hard work of our court interpreters that enables Nebraska’s limited English proficient residents to be heard in our courts and probation offices.”

Photo of Justice Cassel courtesy of the Norfolk Daily News

Norfolk Daily News: Supreme Court, Northeast partner for court interpreter program

News Channel Nebraska: Northeast Community College launches program to train court interpreters