Below are resources that will help you evaluate language access practices and to review successful programs and other resources to help create a long-term strategic plan to ensure language access in the court.
We also provide a step-by-step Translation Project Guide to help you implement projects successfully.
Develop language access services in your courtWeb Guidance Materials
Court web content guidance materials are designed to be helpful for courts to update their web sites to promote consistency and uniformity throughout the state, including: updating local language access and LEP plan web pages; web site placement of language access information; use of a universal language access icon; sample updated LEP plan template; and effective web practices in the California courts.
Model Complaint Packet
Effective January 1, 2018, California Rules of Court, Rule 2.851 requires each superior court to establish a language access services complaint form and related procedures to respond to language access services complaints that relate to staff or court interpreters, or to local translations, as soon as reasonably possible but no later than December 31, 2018. Individual courts may choose to develop their local complaint form and process based on the materials contained in the model packet. If you would like to register a language access services complaint about Judicial Council meetings, forms, or other translations hosted on the California Courts website, please go to the Language Access Contact Us page for more information.
Translations: Interactive (Fillable PDF) Model Complaint Form
Language Access Universal Icon
Use of a universal language access icon helps LEP court users to easily identify language access services provided by the court. Courts may use the language access icon (courtesy of Transcend) in their web and print materials, but not for any commercial purpose.
Toolkit Button for Local Court Intranet Sites
Language Access Resources at your fingertips with a single click! If your court is interested in placing a link for the Language Access Toolkit on your local intranet site, you can download the graphic below and ask your site administrator to hyperlink it to the Language Access Toolkit.
Technology and Language Access
Technological Options for Providing and Sharing Court Language Access Services Outside the Courtroom
This report is a descriptive survey of programs in California and in other state courts that leverage technology to expand and improve access to the court for LEP court users. Drawing from successful technology initiatives already underway in the courts, the report contains a general description of each type of technology and information on how it has or could be used in a court setting to enhance language access and provides brief highlights of existing court-based implementations. Each section concludes with a set of concrete suggestions on next steps for those court employees interested in exploring the technology to enhance language access in their own courts.
Protocol for Serving Limited English Proficient Court Users
This protocol provides recommended steps for court employees to follow that will help them meet the needs of limited English proficient (LEP) court users.
Action Guide for Serving Limited English Proficient Court Users
The Action Guide is a shortened version of the protocol and is designed to be a quick reference guide to assist court employees. It can be placed at various workstations throughout the courthouse (e.g., security, clerk counters, family law facilitator office or self-help centers). The Action Guide can be adapted by each court to provide court-specific information on the court’s available bilingual employees, telephonic interpreting services and translated resources.
Protocols for the Use of Bilingual Volunteers
The document provides guidelines for courts that currently offer or are interested in developing volunteer opportunities for bilingual members of the community.
Wayfinding and Signage Strategies for Language Access in the California Courts: Report and Recommendations
The National Center for State Courts, in collaboration with the Language Access Plan Implementation Task Force, conducted four site visits to local courthouses and ten phone interviews with staff from a variety of courts across the state to explore the current use of bilingual and multilingual signage. This report compiles best practices from around the state in courthouse design and in the use of signage and wayfinding strategies to enhance access for LEP court users. The report also makes specific recommendations regarding the incorporation of language access considerations in courthouse design and the use of technology to augment the court’s ability to provide information in multiple languages.
Glossary of Signage Terms and Icons
The Glossary of Signage Terms and Icons contains the following:
Please note: The attached document can be downloaded as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet can be filtered and organized to display the desired signage terms for individual courts. It is locked to avoid an accidental deletion of terms, but is not protected with a password—any user who has downloaded the file can "unprotect" it.
Important legal information about ordering court ordered servicesUnder California Rules of Court, rule 1.300, Judicial Officers should avoid ordering an LEP litigant to participate in a program or service when that program or service is not available in the language of the litigant. This Fact Sheet provides information about the rule of court and Judicial Council forms designed to help the courts ensure language access to court-ordered services.
Under California Rules of Court, rule 1.300, courts should, as soon as feasible, implement policies and procedures to ensure equal access to court-ordered services for LEP litigants. This document provides suggested policies, procedures and strategies for courts to implement California Rules of Court, rule 1.300.
This form guide explains how to use form LA-350 to notify the court that you offer language assistance in conjunction with court-ordered services.
LEP litigants may use this form to notify the court that they are unable to access a court-ordered service because of a language barrier. They may request an alternative order or additional time to participate in a court-ordered service.
Courts may use this form to respond to a request for an alternative order or additional time to complete a court-ordered service by an LEP litigant who has notified the court that they are unable to access a court-ordered service because of a language barrier.
This document contains customizable content for local court websites to communicate with their justice partners and community providers.
Other resources to develop Language AccessFederal Interagency Website: Limited English Proficiency
Source: www.lep.gov
Description: This site acts as a clearinghouse, providing and linking to information, tools, and technical assistance regarding limited English proficiency and language services for federal agencies, recipients of federal funds, users of federal programs and federally assisted programs, and other stakeholders.
Assessment