Supreme Court Arranges $25,000 in Translation Services
The following press release was just sent to me by the Counsel to the Chief Justice of Indiana:
The Indiana Supreme Court has dedicated $25,000 to provide Indiana courts with foreign language interpretation by telephone for less regionally familiar languages, Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard announced today.
“The diversity of language in our state’s population has created difficult challenges for our courts. Increasingly, Indiana trial judges are faced with needing interpreter services promptly for many foreign languages. Of the thirty-six counties who sought assistance this year under the Court Interpreter Grant Program, fifteen court systems needed interpreter services for languages other than Spanish or sign language. These courts reported interpretation needs for twenty-six other languages ranging from Arabic to Punjabi to Urdu. While much of our current effort focuses on Spanish interpreting, there is obviously need for attention to speakers of other languages,” Chief Justice Shepard said.
Recognizing the strain that such language issues place on trial courts, the Indiana Supreme Court has contracted with Language Line Services to provide $25,000 worth of telephone foreign language interpretation on an as-needed basis. Language Line Services is an over-the-phone interpretation service based in Monterey, California, which provides interpretation services in more than 140 languages. Language Line Services is available 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Interpreters are required to be familiar with police and 911 procedures and have hundreds of hours of interpreting experience.
In general, the service is for any Indiana trial court that needs services other than Spanish for hearings that are twenty minutes or less.
“I thank Judge Douglas Morton from Fulton Circuit Court as his recommendations helped spearhead this initiative, and to Lilly Judson’s Division of State Court Administration staff for making it happen,” said Chief Justice Shepard.
This initiative is one of several the Supreme Court has taken to improve language services in the courts. In addition to the use of Language Line and the Court Interpreter Grant program, the Supreme Court has also established a Court Interpreter Program that certifies qualified court interpreters.
For more information on the Court Interpreter Program visit: www.in.gov/judiciary/interpreter
