The gold-standard of interpreting in Indiana courtrooms is to provide LEP individuals with a Certified Interpreter. Certified Interpreters are important because their interpreting skills for court use have been rigorously tested. The friendly helper in the back of the court room who is bilingual in Spanish and English typically does not know all the legal words being used by a court. There can be a serious risk of … [Read more...] about Limited English Proficient Individuals: Access to Courts Through Qualified Interpreters
Articles
2014 Reform Grants
With nearly 1.6 million new cases filed in 2013, Indiana’s trial courts must continually look for new ways to increase efficiency while still providing a high quality of service to litigants and other court participants. One of these ways is through Indiana’s Court Reform Grant program, funded through federal reimbursements for previously uncollected expenses associated with Title IV-D enforcement actions. Since 200 … [Read more...] about 2014 Reform Grants
One and Done: How INcite is reducing redundant DNA collection
One of the responsibilities of probation officers is to collect body fluid samples from clients to test for the presence of drugs or alcohol when that is a condition of their probation. But did you also know that Indiana law requires officers to collect a DNA sample for persons convicted of a felony? The Indiana General Assembly adopted this requirement in 2005. When a court sentences a defendant directly to the … [Read more...] about One and Done: How INcite is reducing redundant DNA collection
2015 State of the Judiciary
Loretta Rush, as the first female Indiana Chief Justice, delivered an historic address on the condition of the courts to a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly. Highlights of the speech follow, but we invite you to read the entire text and watch the video of the event on the Indiana Courts website at http://courts.in.gov/supreme/2502.htm. Chief Justice Rush reported on the “condition of the courts” by revi … [Read more...] about 2015 State of the Judiciary
Trial by Skype™ in Shelby County
As a self-proclaimed tech-geek, I have embraced technology in the courtroom wholeheartedly. Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct a traffic infraction trial by video (I will refer to it as a traffic video trial or “TV trial”). Inter-active two-way audio visual equipment in the courtroom isn’t new, courts have been conducting hearings via closed circuit television for years. What is new is the ability for anyon … [Read more...] about Trial by Skype™ in Shelby County