In a shocking revelation, the Hawaii Judiciary has been found to have violated the rights of non-English speakers in state court proceedings. The Justice Department’s review of the Hawaii Judiciary’s Language Access Program has uncovered serious deficiencies in the provision of language services to limited English proficient (LEP) individuals.
Nearly 13 percent of Hawaii’s population is LEP, and the court system has a responsibility to provide them with equal access to justice. However, the review found that the court system was failing to meet this obligation, leading to complaints and concerns about the provision of language services.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta praised the Hawaii Judiciary for its proactive efforts to address the issue, saying, ‘I commend the Hawaii Judiciary for its proactive efforts to provide all communities with equal access to justice regardless of the language they speak.’
The Hawaii Judiciary has made significant improvements to its language services, including issuing a clear policy stating that all LEP individuals would be provided competent court interpretation free of charge in court proceedings. The court has also implemented an awareness campaign to increase the public’s knowledge on how to access the court’s language services, including the creation of multilingual outreach materials in hard copy and on the web.
Additionally, the court has begun to create a language assistance complaint system and has revised its court interpreter assignment system, training interpreters and providing mandatory training for judicial staff on the interpreter assignment process. The court has also implemented oversight measures to ensure that the language access program complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Justice Department has worked with courts across the country to improve the provision of language services to LEP individuals and has released a tool to help courts develop and implement plans to provide language assistance. The department has also praised the Hawaii Judiciary for its cooperation and commitment to providing equal access to justice for all individuals, regardless of their language ability.
Hawaii Judiciary’s actions demonstrate a commitment to providing equal access to justice for all individuals, regardless of their language ability. The court’s efforts to address the issue of language services violations are a step in the right direction and demonstrate a willingness to cooperate with the Justice Department to ensure that all individuals have access to justice.
Defendant/Respondent: Hawaii Judiciary Criminal Charges: Language Services Violations City and State: Honolulu, Hawaii Exact Date: January 2024 Sentence/Outcome: Improvements made to language services, cooperation with the Justice Department Dollar Amounts: None
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Key Facts
- State: Hawaii
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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