¿Habla Espanol? The Need for Spanish Interpreters in Bankruptcy Court

The Court Interpreters Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1827 requires the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Court to “prescribe, determine, and certify the qualifications of persons who may serve a certified interpreters…for the hearing impaired…and persons who speak only or primarily a language other than the English language, in judicial proceedings instituted by the United States.  The details of the Federal Court Interpreter Program can be found at http://www.uscourts.gov/interpretprog/interp_prog.html.

On October 10, 2007, the Federal Judiciary reported that approximately 300 would-be interpreters sought to become certified by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts as capable interpreters from Spanish to English and English to Spanish in federal courts.

According to the article, Spanish constitutes more than 96 percent of interpreter language needs in the federal courts and interpreters are critically important to ensure that people involved in federal cases understand the proceedings and can fully participate in them.

While the Act only requires this service for judicial proceedings instituted by the United States, the need for interpreters in bankruptcy court is just as important to the effective administration of cases in the bankruptcy court system so that the debtor can understand the proceedings and fully participate in them.