California group seeks interpreters for all state court proceedings News
California group seeks interpreters for all state court proceedings

[JURIST] A blue-ribbon California civil justice commission comprised of lawyers, judges, and academic, business, labor and community leaders has called for interpreters to be made available in civil as well as criminal cases in California courts. The California Commission on Access to Justice [commission website] issued a report Tuesday saying there is a "dire and unmet need for language assistance" and arging that many people cannot effectively defend themselves or assert their rights under the present English-only civil system, often losing "legal rights, property, livelihood or shelter" as a result. Currently, the seven million Californians who are not proficient in English have a right to a state-funded interpreter only in criminal cases. The report, Language Barriers to Justice in California [PDF text], recommends providing an interpreter in all court cases and expanding the training and recruitment of interpreters. Bay City News has more.