About
NAJIT
The National Association
of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators is a professional association that
was first chartered as a non-profit organization under New York State laws,
and incorporated as the Court Interpreters and Translators Association, Inc.
(CITA) in 1978. In 1988 the membership approved a name change to reflect the
national nature of the association.
Since its inception, NAJIT's mission has been to promote quality services in
the field of legal interpreting and translating. Our members play a critical
role in assuring due process, equal protection and equal access for non-English
or limited English proficient (LEP) individuals who interact with the judicial
system.
NAJIT's members are bound by the Code
of Ethics and Professional Responsibilities promulgated by the Association
to advance the highest quality language services in assisting all parties in
the administration of justice.
Members are encouraged to continually upgrade their skills, and to share their
knowledge and expertise with other members of the profession and allied professions
involved in education and the justice system.
As of 2008, NAJIT's membership of 1300 people includes practicing judiciary
interpreters and translators as well as attorneys, judges, Ph.D linguists, educators,
researchers, students, administrators, as well as managers of non-profit community
language bureaus and for-profit language agencies. While most of our membership
resides in the U.S, some members live and work in Latin America, Europe, Asia
and Australia. Anyone with an interest in the field of judiciary interpreting
and translating or who shares NAJIT's interests and objectives is welcome to
join.
The purposes of the Association are:
• To promote professional standards of performance and integrity.
• To achieve wider recognition for the profession of judiciary interpreting
and translating.
• To advocate policies for the training and certification of interpreters
through competent and reliable methodologies.
• To advance the highest quality services.
• To encourage the exchange of ideas among judiciary interpreters and translators,
educators, members of the judiciary, legal service providers, court administrators
and other justice partners.
• To make the public, judicial officers and other legal or justice communities
aware of the unique role and function of interpreters and translators in the
legal system.
• To disseminate educational material on matters relating to judiciary
interpreting and translating.
• To promote the general welfare of the profession.
• To take positions on matters affecting the advancement and interest of
the profession as whole.
To achieve these objectives, NAJIT holds periodic meetings; publishes a quarterly
newsletter, Proteus, as well as glossaries, manuals, position papers,
statements and/or advocacy letters and other publications; offers workshops
and seminars for continued education and training; provides educational opportunities
to non-members in order to advance understanding of the profession, appoints
advisory representatives to university programs and institutes for judiciary
interpreters and translators, both to learn and to share their experiences;
sponsors presentations at local, regional and national meetings of other interpreter
and translator associations and related language professionals; assigns representatives
to serve on local and national committees or advisory boards; provides input
on testing, policy and administration in the field of interpreting and translating;
advocates for adequate working conditions and compensation for judiciary interpreters;
maintains an active website; maintains an electronic listserve for members,
and conducts other activities designed to promote the general welfare of the
association and its members.
NAJIT
Bylaws
NAJIT
Leadership
Description
and scope of NAJIT Committees
Member
Benefits & Application Form