Judgement Call in the Courtroom
You're interpreting for a trial in which an 18-year-old Deaf man is charged with murder. The man was brought up in a cabin in the woods with no exposure to other Deaf people, and his language skills are minimal. You realise you can't handle this job alone and need either an RSC or CDI interpreter to assist you. You stop the proceedings to let the judge know, and he says, "If you can't handle this job alone, I'll find someone else who can."
An Interpreter's Perspective:
If the judge refuses to understand why a relay interpreter is appropriate, take yourself off the case. My guess is that the judge will hear the same response from other professional interpreters.
A Deaf Consumer's Perspective:
Respectfully explain that you won't be able to continue to interpret. You can try to explain that the current best practice in these situations is to use a team of interpreters (a certified ASL/English interpreter and a CDI interpreter). Although this is costly, all parties involved will be satisfied that this case was handled in the best way possible. If the judge still wants another interpreter, let him do that. You'll have a clear conscience.