By Lisa Manning | Family Violence Resource Attorney, Indiana Office of Court Services and Lun Pieper | Staff Attorney, Indiana Office of Court Services As our population continues to diversify, judges encounter an increased demand to provide language access in criminal court proceedings. Although the obligation to provide court interpretation for defendants may be readily apparent, the court’s duty can get murky when … [Read more...] about Breaking Through Barriers: Language Access for Crime Victims
Interpreter / Translator
Language Identification Card
Use this lifeline before calling Language Line A man walks into a court office, politely waits his turn, and then speaks in a language no one has ever heard. Now what? The police arrest a woman on suspicion of shoplifting. She is unable to read, write, or speak English. How will the judge conduct the initial hearing? In both of these situations, before calling Language Line or using an in-person language interpreter, … [Read more...] about Language Identification Card
$450,000 Awarded to Assist Unrepresented and Limited English Proficiency Litigants
For the last decade, trial courts across the country have increasingly faced the tough legal, logistical, and ethical dilemmas that often accompany cases involving unrepresented litigants (URLs). Without sufficient knowledge of court processes and procedures, URLs may miss important deadlines or fail to take key actions associated with the handling of their case. Judges and court staff can become frustrated at an … [Read more...] about $450,000 Awarded to Assist Unrepresented and Limited English Proficiency Litigants
Fast Facts about Court Interpreters
Nearly ten percent of Indiana’s 6.5 million residents speak a language other than English. Many judges indicate that they have seen an increase in the number of individuals in their courts that are of limited English proficiency (LEP). Languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, Burmese, Laotian, Cambodian, Polish, Turkish, and Gujarati, are heard in our courts on a regular basis. Without qualified court interpreters, our c … [Read more...] about Fast Facts about Court Interpreters
State of the Judiciary 2013
Editor’s Note: On Jan. 23, 2013, Chief Justice Brent E. Dickson delivered his first State of the Judiciary address to a Joint Session of the Indiana General Assembly. An excerpted version slightly modified due to space limitations follows. The State of the Judiciary was broadcast to a statewide audience over the Internet and on radio and television through Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations. Video of the speech and … [Read more...] about State of the Judiciary 2013