[en] Jefferson Lab is developing a 10 MeV injector to provide an electron beam for a high-power free-electron laser (FEL). To characterize the transverse phase space of the space-charged-dominated beam produced by this injector, the authors designed an interceptive multislit emittance diagnostic. It incorporates an algorithm for phase-space reconstruction and subsequent calculation of the Twiss parameters and emittance for both transverse directions at an update rate exceeding 1 Hz, a speed that will facilitate the transverse-phase-space matching between the injector and the FEL's accelerator that is critical for proper operation. This paper describes issues pertaining to the diagnostic's design. It also discusses the acquisition system, as well as the software algorithm and its implementation in the FEL control system. First results obtained from testing this diagnostic in Jefferson Lab's Injector Test Stand are also included