(a) Appointment of certified interpreter.--Upon request or sua sponte, if the presiding judicial officer determines that a principal party in interest or witness is deaf, then a certified interpreter shall be appointed, unless the certified interpreter is unavailable as provided in subsection (b).

(b) Appointment of otherwise qualified interpreter when certified interpreter is unavailable.--

(1) An otherwise qualified interpreter shall be appointed by the presiding judicial officer if a good faith effort was made to obtain a certified interpreter and a certified interpreter was not reasonably available, as determined by the presiding judicial officer.

(2) Prior to the appointment of the otherwise qualified interpreter, the presiding judicial officer, pursuant to general rule, shall state on the record that a certified interpreter is not available and that the otherwise qualified interpreter:

(i) is readily able to interpret;

(ii) is certified by the National Association of the Deaf, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or similar registry to the best of the knowledge of the presiding judicial officer; and

(iii) has read, understands and agrees to abide by the code of professional conduct for court interpreters for persons who are deaf, as established by the Court Administrator.

(c) Additional interpreter.--After consideration of the length of the judicial proceeding, the special needs of the person who is deaf and the number of persons involved who are deaf, the presiding judicial officer may appoint, as provided in subsections (a) and (b), an additional interpreter or provide for additional interpretation in a manner deemed appropriate by the presiding judicial officer.

(d) Immediate family.--The presiding judicial officer may appoint, as provided in subsections (a) and (b), an interpreter or provide for additional interpretation, as provided in subsection (c), for an immediate family member of a principal party in interest.

Cross References. Section 4432 is referred to in section 4437 of this title.