Rule 6. Interpreter Services in Court Proceedings for Persons with Limited English Pro- ficiency

(a) Construction. This rule shall be liberally construed

and applied to promote meaningful participation in court

proceedings, consistent with due process, by persons with

limited English proficiency. A limited English proficient (LEP)

person is someone who speaks a language other than English

as his or her primary language and has a limited ability to read,

speak, or understand English.

(b) Court System Responsibility to Pay for Inter-

preter Services. The court system will provide and pay for the

necessary services of an interpreter during proceedings in court

for all parties, witnesses, and victims with limited English

proficiency in all cases and for other individuals with limited

English proficiency as follows:

(1) for the parents or guardian of the juvenile in

delinquency proceedings, and

(2) for the tribal representatives, foster parents, out-of-

home care providers, or grandparents in child-in-need-of-aid

proceedings.

(c) Method of Delivery. Interpreter services may be

provided in-person, telephonically, or by video depending on

the availability of qualified interpreters, the court location, and

the length of the proceeding.

(d) Court-Provided Second Interpreter at Hearings or

Trial. To prevent interpreter fatigue and ensure effective

communication, the court system may, in its discretion,

provide and pay for the services of a second, qualified

interpreter at any hearing or trial that exceeds two hours. A

court-provided “proceedings” interpreter may, upon request,

interpret confidential communications between an LEP

individual and his or her attorney during the course of a

hearing or trial. If an LEP party desires a separate “table”

interpreter to sit at counsel table to facilitate confidential

attorney-client communications, the party must provide and

pay for that interpreter.

two hours. A

court-provided “proceedings” interpreter may, upon request,

interpret confidential communications between an LEP

individual and his or her attorney during the course of a

hearing or trial. If an LEP party desires a separate “table”

interpreter to sit at counsel table to facilitate confidential

attorney-client communications, the party must provide and

pay for that interpreter.

(e) Amount the Court System Pays. When the court

system provides and pays for interpreter services, the rate or

fee paid is set by Administrative Bulletin 82.

Notes:

This rule does not limit a judicial officer’s authority

under Civil Rule 95 to order a party to pay the costs of

interpreter services as a sanction for violation of Civil Rule 11.

An individual who is eligible to receive a court-provided

interpreter under this rule should request interpreter services as

early as possible in the case by filing a notice or otherwise

notifying the local clerk of court. The court system’s

Interpreter Services Coordinator is available to assist any

agency, attorney, or litigant to locate a qualified language

interpreter or translator to provide language services remotely

or on-site. The Interpreter Services Coordinator can be

reached at interpreters@akcourts.us.