General Laws of Massachusetts (Last Updated: January 16, 2020) |
PART III COURTS, JUDICIAL OFFICERS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CIVIL CASES |
TITLE I. COURTS AND JUDICIAL OFFICERS |
CHAPTER 221C. COURT INTERPRETERS FOR THE TRIAL COURT |
SECTION 2. Right to assistance; availability of qualified interpreters; reports
Latest version.
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A non–English speaker, throughout a legal proceeding, shall have a right to the assistance of a qualified interpreter who shall be appointed by the judge, unless the judge finds that no qualified interpreter of the non–English speaker's language is reasonably available, in which event the non–English speaker shall have the right to a certified interpreter, who shall be appointed by the judge. The court shall report to the coordinator of interpreter services every instance in which a qualified interpreter was found not to be reasonably available.