The Justice Department has reached an agreement with the administrative staff of the Oklahoma Supreme Court to enhance resources for individuals with limited English proficiency. This marks the resolution to a complaint lodged in 2021, alleging the state’s courts were failing to provide necessary language interpretation, thereby violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Through a memorandum of understanding concluded last Thursday, the state has pledged to increase language amenities at all court proceedings. This will include assistance for non-English speakers and parties with limited English language facilities, in both oral and written forms.
A critical aspect of this complaint revolved around a particular instance wherein the district court of Mayes County, a rural region in the northeast of Oklahoma outside Tulsa, allegedly didn’t provide appropriate access to a person requiring interpretation services in a family court case. Following this, the Oklahoma Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) introduced legislation to address the issue. A key result was a state law establishing a fund to defray expenses linked with language access for individuals with limited English proficiency, who previously had to pay for interpretation services.
Interestingly, the resolution process involving this civil rights complaint befell during September 2021, shortly after the AOC’s proposed legislation. Additional measures included hiring an employee to coordinate language access system-wide, judge and staff training, and enhancing access to remote interpretation services.
As part of this agreement, the Oklahoma AOC is expected to create a statewide language access program, ensuring that these services continue to be offered free of charge. This involves implementing a tracking system at various courts, disseminating information in multiple languages about available resources, and creating an access complaint system. The AOC is also tasked with guiding judges and staff on using remote interpreters and broadening access to non-English versions of critical documents within set timeframes.
These steps will substantially assist legal professionals working with individuals with limited English proficiency, ensuring fair participation in court proceedings and operations across the state of Oklahoma.