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Courts and Agencies Must Provide Interpreters for People Who do not Speak English
by: Iowa Legal Aid

Many law suits are filed every day. People involved in a lawsuit may feel worried or afraid about what will happen. The worry and fear can be much worse for people who do not speak or understand English. An interpreter can help. An interpreter restates what is said in the language the listener understands. Iowa law says that courts and state agencies have to provide interpreters:

for a party to a lawsuit (someone who files a lawsuit, or the person being sued)
for a witness
for someone who has a hearing with a state agency (like the Department of Human Services, or Workforce Development.)

Who pays for the interpreter?

Under Iowa law, a judge will sign an order for an interpreter. If the person who needs the interpreter can't afford to pay for one, the court will pay. At the end of the lawsuit, the court may decide that one party or another should pay the court for the cost of the interpreter.

In addition to the Iowa law, there is also a federal law. The federal law is Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It has rules about services to people with "Limited English Proficiency (LEPs)." These federal rules may require a free interpreter. If the court orders you to pay for the interpreter, you may want to talk to a lawyer to see if the interpreter should have been free under Title VI.

Who can be an interpreter?

Iowa has a list of "certified" interpreters. The court will appoint a certified interpreter, if one is available. If none is available, the court can appoint someone from a different list of interpreters. If no interpreter from either of these two lists is available, the court can appoint anyone who is qualified.

If you need an interpreter, ask the court or agency as soon as possible. If you were not able to get an interpreter, or were told to pay for the interpreter, you may be able to get help from Iowa Legal Aid. Call 1-800-532-1503 (English and other language speakers) or (800) 272-0008 (Spanish speakers).

Last Reviewed On: 09/08/05

READ THIS BEFORE USING ANY PART OF THE IOWA LEGAL AID WEBSITE (ILAW) If you cannot afford a lawyer and have a legal problem in Iowa, you may be able to get free legal help. Call Iowa Legal Aid. To find out which office serves your county, call 1-800-532-1275 or 515-243-2151 in the Des Moines calling area. If you are age 60 or over, you may be able to get free legal advice from The Legal Hotline for Older Iowans at 1-800-992-8161 or 282-8161 in Des Moines. All numbers are Voice and TTY.

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