The New Jersey judiciary has agreed to a settlement to address a federal investigation that uncovered discrimination against non-English speakers in Monmouth County court. The agreement involves implementing systemic improvements in training and translation services. This development was announced on Thursday.
As part of the settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the New Jersey judiciary will review its language access plan and mandate training for court staff to better serve individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). Key court documents will also be translated into the five most common non-English languages encountered—Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Korean, and Polish— and will be made available both online and at courthouses.
The federal probe, initiated in 2019, highlighted significant barriers for LEP individuals in Monmouth County, including the denial of interpreter services and insufficient communication of language access policies. Additionally, the judiciary will compensate a whistleblower from the Monmouth County court who faced alleged retaliation after raising concerns. This case underscores ongoing efforts by federal authorities to ensure equitable access to the judicial system for non-English speakers.
The judiciary also faces a separate lawsuit involving allegations of constructive dismissal of a former judge who raised concerns about court practices affecting Hispanic defendants. This case is currently under discovery.
For more details on the settlement, visit Law360.