Trial Courts: Enhancing Language Access Services for Limited-English-Proficiency Court Users

Overview

The Administrative Office of the Courts (“AOC”) produced the report to evaluate the various strategies adopted by courts to provide Limited English Proficiency (“LEP”) individuals equal access to the judicial system with the hope that successful strategies can be replicated in jurisdictions that lack the necessary framework. The comprehensive report compartmentalizes into six key areas related to language access: language access planning; language services in the courtroom; language services outside the courtroom; translated court forms and other documents; notification of services in multilingual material; and public outreach and education.

Appendix D to the report presents a template, composed of an aggregation of the identified best practices, for judicial systems to improve access for LEP individuals.

Purpose

The purpose of the study and resulting report was to identify best practices that afford Limited English Proficiency individuals meaningful access to the California judicial system. 

Click "Go to Website" below to access the report.