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National Association of Judiciary Interpreters & Translators
1707 L street,
NW, Ste 507 headquarters@najit.org · www.najit.org
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| June 14,
2006 Hon. Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor of California State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: Judicial Branch Budget – court interpreters Dear Governor Schwarzenegger: The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) urges you to sustain funding for court interpreters in civil cases, as supported by Chief Justice Ronald M. George and the Judicial Council. California is the most linguistically diverse state in the nation with forty percent of the state’s population speaking a language other than English at home. This rich diversity is among the state’s greatest assets and has helped make California an international leader in business, entertainment, engineering, medicine and other fields. The state’s diversity also poses unique challenges for the delivery of government services, particularly for the courts. Nearly seven million Californians cannot participate meaningfully in court proceedings without significant language assistance provided by qualified interpreters. The lack of interpreter services also negatively impacts the efficient administration of justice. Inadequate resources to assist litigants with limited English proficiency affects the court’s ability to function properly, causing costly delays in proceedings for all court users, inappropriate defaults, and faulty interpretation that can ultimately subvert justice. The Judicial Council has observed that the lack of interpreters in civil proceedings has enormous consequences for parties: in domestic violence cases, respondents do not understand the orders entered against them and all too often violate them; single parents are unable to obtain adequate child support awards and must go on public assistance; and extended family members are unable to obtain guardianships, which would allow them to care for children who otherwise are placed into foster care or juvenile hall. The courts have made significant efforts to assist litigants with limited English proficiency, including steps to increase the number of certified and registered interpreters and to provide interpreters in civil cases where resources are available. Nevertheless, court proceedings are required by law to be conducted in English, and most crucial court forms and documents are available only in English. Language assistance in civil cases would improve the operation of the judicial system by reducing the amount of courtroom time for hearings, ensuring that non-English-speaking litigants appear more consistently at subsequent hearings, and by reducing the number of delays and backlog in some areas. As you have noted, the issues at stake in child custody, child support, and other civil cases are critical to the well-being of all Californians. It is essential to provide interpreters for civil cases, including family law and domestic violence cases so that these parties have meaningful access to the courts. Although the $10 million funding level chosen by the Legislature will clearly not address the full need in civil cases, it will allow the courts to begin addressing the most critical cases. Thank you for your consideration. Please support sustaining funding for civil court interpreters in order to preserve liberty and justice for all Californians. Sincerely, Alexander Raïnof, Ph.D. Chair of the Board of Directors National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators cc: Richard Costigan, Legislative Secretary, Office of the Governor Michael C. Genest, Director, Department of Finance |
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