LO
Policy mandateCognitive automation1996-10-19
Presiding judges in US federal courts shall use the most available certified interpreter, in simultaneous mode for parties to proceedings brought by the United States
Interpreteroccupation page →
Event date / reported
1996-10-19
Evidence stage
Policy mandateRegulation, subsidy or public procurement is requiring or funding adoption — the mirror of a constraint. It shows adoption is being required, not that it has happened, so one mandate is never enough on its own; two independent ones are.
Tasks this bears on
Court and legal interpreting
Interpreting for defendants, witnesses and parties in courts and police proceedings.
Still human-led✓ Evidence-backed
Where this applies
United States federal courts. The Court Interpreters Act says the presiding judicial officer shall utilize the services of the most available certified interpreter, or when none is reasonably available an otherwise qualified interpreter, for parties or witnesses who speak only or primarily a language other than English or have a hearing impairment, and that interpretation shall be in the simultaneous mode for any party to a proceeding instituted by the United States and in the consecutive mode for witnesses. It governs federal courts only.
What this means
In US federal courts the interpreter is a certified person by law, and the mode of interpreting is specified — a rule written around human interpreters.
What it does not yet show
Federal courts only; state courts set their own rules.
What you can check
Open 28 U.S.C. § 1827 on govinfo and find "most available certified interpreter".
Does it change the assessment?
No. The impact index is never moved by a single event, and this stage does not move one on its own: a "Policy mandate" record counts toward a judgement but needs a second, independent record before the judgement rests on evidence. This one is counted; on its own it changed nothing.
Source
28 U.S.C. § 1827, Interpreters in courts of the United States (United States Code, 2024 edition, via govinfo; as amended by Pub. L. 104–317, October 19, 1996) · verified 2026-09-30 · Claude (VOLO agent) · interpreted 2026-09-30 · Claude (VOLO agent)
Primary source — published by the party that did this, or the authority of record. No co-signature needed.