Court Interpreters Ensure Language Isn’t Bar to Justice

COURT HOUSE – When Richard Palacio is told he’s done “a good job,” he knows that he’s “bridged a gap” and helped someone in what could be a key milestone event in their life. 
As one of three language interpreters assigned to the Atlantic/Cape May  Vicinage, Palacio helps provide “fair access to the court system” under New Jersey’s Language Access Plan to anyone needing Spanish-English interpretation skills.
“If I can make the experience seamless and bridge a gap between languages and the ability to absorb what is happening, then I’ve done my job,” the court interpreter said. “When a client tells me that I’ve done a good job, then I know I’ve made a difference.”
The 75-page Language Access Plan states “anyone who is limited in their ability to speak and or understand English, or is deaf or hard of hearing is entitled to the same access and meaningful participation in their court processes as those who are not.” The courts are to provide qualified interpreters at their expense.
“The founding principle is fair access to the court system,” said Julio Mendez, assignment judge in the Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage. 
Mendez was vice chair of the working group that pulled together the plan, which outlines where, when, how and by whom language access is provided across the state.
It retains and updates 21 existing standards and outlines some new standards that affect municipal, state and Superior courts. It also provides a timeline for when the services must be provided; provides a process in the event of violations, and establishes goals for future advancement.
New Jersey is the third most diverse state in the nation, according to the plan, with more than 30 percent, or more than 2.5 million, speaking a language other than English at home.
In the 2014 court year, the Superior Courts provided interpreters in about 87 languages in more than 83,000 events. Spanish is the leading language, representing 85 percent of the statewide events.
Also, the plan states that New Jersey is home to about 850,000 individuals with varying degrees of hearing loss and about 1,000 events per year require American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters.
“Events” include a range of court appearances to depositions to interviews according to Palacio.
Across Cape May County, three Spanish interpreters like Palacio are available; the courts use services to provide other languages.
Last year, Spanish-speaking interpreters were provided in 1,055 instances. Also, 11 ASL interpreters were provided, along with seven Lithuanian, three Romanian, three Russian, one Greek and one Punjabi. 
“One of the biggest challenges is the number of people who come from countries who don’t have a sophisticated legal system like us,” Palacio noted. “They are totally lost in the system and need help.”
Court interpreters need to know legal terminology and undergo training which includes a code of ethics of how to work within the court system. Once certified, their name is on a statewide list to provide services when required.
“We are cautioned to be as unobtrusive as possible,” Palacio explained, “which is sometimes difficult, especially when there is an emotional event. You really have to have a clinical detachment to get through it sometimes.”
The most difficult for Palacio are events where he is interpreting for a child who has undergone abuse, or the murder of a spouse or loved one. At those times, he relies on the professionals who deal with similar instances often, “thanking them for what they do on a daily basis. Those cases are very difficult,” he said.
The child of Spanish-speaking immigrants, Palacio said he had spent his whole life interpreting. “Children often become the first interpreters for their parents because they usually have a better command of the English language,” he said. “I worked at hotels in college, and my bilingual skills were needed to help talk with some of the staff.”
His bilingual skills were also used when he was an AIDS case manager in the 1990s in Vineland, and as an early intervention screener in Philadelphia when he would telephone families to assess whether young children were meeting developmental milestones.
He spent some years teaching English and Spanish in American schools in Madrid, Spain and was hired by the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of America to assist under a grant for Hispanic people with MS.
He became certified as a court interpreter in 2008 when he worked as a freelancer, becoming a full-time interpreter in 2014.
“It’s important that people know these services exist,” Palacio said, “so they don’t get lost in the court system.”
The state courts provide many documents, including brochures and instructions for self-represented litigants in languages other than English, including Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish. Each courthouse should have signs and publications to alert court users that these services are available.
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.