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An Analysis of the Systemic Problems Regarding Foreign Language Interpretation in the North Carolina Court System and Potential Solutions

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An Analysis of the Systemic Problems Regarding Foreign Language Interpretation in the North Carolina Court System and Potential Solutions An Analysis of the Systemic Problems Regarding Foreign Language Interpretation in the North Carolina Court System and Potential Solutions Prepared by: Emily Kirby, Sarah Long, and Sonal Raja University of North Carolina School of Law Immigration and Human Rights Policy Clinic Faculty Advisor: Deborah Weissman May 5, 2010 An Analysis of the Systemic Problems Regarding Foreign Language Interpretation in the North Carolina Court System and Potential Solutions Emily Kirby Deborah M. Weissman Sonal Raja Reef C. Ivey II Distinguished Professor of Law Sarah Long Director of Clinical Programs UNC‐CH Law Students http://www.law.unc.edu/documents/clinical programs/foreignlanguageinterpretationproblemsnc.pdf ii Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Policy Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 8 PART ONE: An Analysis of the Law Regarding Access to the Courts for Non‐English Speakers .............. 10 I. Federal Law ........................................................................................................................... 10 A. Federal Criminal Case Law ............................................................................................... 10 B. Federal Court Interpreters Act .......................................................................................... 12 C. Federal Civil Case Law ....................................................................................................... 13 D. North Carolina’s Provision of Interpreters ........................................................................ 15 II. State Law ............................................................................................................................... 16 A. State Approaches to the Right to an Interpreter in a Criminal Context ........................... 16 B. State Approaches to the Right to an Interpreter in a Civil Context .................................. 18 C. New York: A Model State? ................................................................................................ 20 D. The Right to an Interpreter in North Carolina .................................................................. 21 1. Need for Foreign Language Interpreters in the North Carolina Court System .......... 21 2. The Right to an Interpreter in North Carolina Criminal Cases ................................... 22 3. North Carolina Court Rules and Guidelines on Interpreters ...................................... 25 a. Rules of Evidence ................................................................................................. 25 b. AOC Policies and Practices .................................................................................. 25 i. Determining Whether an Interpreter is Needed .......................................... 27 ii. Certification of Interpreters .......................................................................... 27 iii. The Role of a Foreign Language Interpreter: Courtroom Protocol ............... 29 4. Costs for a Foreign Language Interpreter in Criminal Cases ...................................... 29 5. Right to an Interpreter in North Carolina Civil Cases ................................................. 30 a. Costs for a Foreign Language Interpreter in Civil Cases ...................................... 31 6. Assessing Interpreters’ Fees as Court Costs: Comparison with Procedure for the Deaf & Hearing Impaired .................................................................................................... 32 E. North Carolina’s Deficiencies with Regard to State Law ................................................ 33 III. Title VI & Court Interpretation ............................................................................................... 33 A. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 33 B. History of Title VI ............................................................................................................. 34 C. Basic Overview of Title VI Relating to Language Access ................................................. 35 D. Executive Order 13166: “Improving Access to Service for Persons with Limited English Proficiency ....................................................................................................................... 36 E. Title VI Department of Justice Guidelines and Regulations Regarding Language Access ......................................................................................................................................... 36 F. Case Law: Interpreting Title VI ........................................................................................ 39 iii 1. Pre‐2001 ..................................................................................................................... 40 2. Post‐2001 ................................................................................................................... 41 G. Compliance and Enforcement of Title VI ........................................................................ 42 1. Obligation to Evaluate Compliance ............................................................................ 42 a. Compliance Prior to Funding .............................................................................. 42 i. Assurances of Compliance............................................................................. 43 ii. Data and Information Collection ................................................................... 43 b. Compliance Subsequent to Funding .................................................................... 44 i. Selecting Targets for a Compliance Review ................................................. 44 ii. Compliance Review Procedure...................................................................... 44 2. Complaint Enforcement Procedure ............................................................................ 45 3. Seeking Enforcement through Voluntary Compliance ............................................... 45 4. Seeking Enforcement through Termination of Federal Funding ................................ 46 H. Title VI and Administrative Office of the Courts in North Carolina ................................. 48 I. North Carolina Deficiencies with Regard to Title VI ........................................................ 49 PART TWO: Problems With North Carolina Court Interpretation ............................................................ 51 I. Access Problems ......................................................................................................................... 51 A. Irregular Provision of Interpreters for People Who Speak Languages Other Than Spanish ......................................................................................................................................... 51 B. No Interpreter Access for First Appearance .................................................................... 54 C. Charging Indigent Defendants for the Cost of Their Interpreter .................................... 55 D. Confusion over Who is Entitled to a Court Interpreter .................................................. 56 E. Use of “Volunteers” to Assist LEP Litigants ..................................................................... 56 F. Hispanic Litigants Not Showing Up for Court Cases ........................................................ 57 G. Lack of Notice of Availability of Foreign Language Interpreters in Court ....................... 58 H. Systematic Problems Within Small Claims Court ............................................................ 58 I. Delay and Inefficiency in Court Proceedings Due to Lack of an Interpreter ................... 60 II. Quality Issues that Impact Access Issues ..................................................................................... 62 A. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 62 B. Failing to Interpret Completely and Accurately: Summarization .................................... 63 C. Failing to Interpret for the Court ..................................................................................... 65 D. Interpreters are Interacting and Speaking with Parties without Interpreting These Conversations for the Court ............................................................................................ 66 E. Interpreters Addressing Court Directly in the First Person ............................................. 67 F. Individuals are Allowed to Serve as Interpreters in Proceedings Despite Evidence of Conflicts of Interest ......................................................................................................... 68 G. Lack of Interpreter Professionalism ................................................................................ 71 H. The Judiciary’s Lack of Familiarity with Standards and Guidelines for Working with Foreign Language Interpreters in the Court .................................................................... 71 1. Judges Should Speak Directly to the Litigant ............................................................
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