§ 50.0515. Interpreters for person with communications disability: Appointment of registered legal interpreter required; exceptions

50.0515. Interpreters for person with communications disability: Appointment of registered legal interpreter required; exceptions

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, in any judicial or other proceeding in which the court, magistrate or other person presiding over the proceeding is required to appoint an interpreter for a person with a communications disability, the court, magistrate or other person presiding over the proceeding shall appoint a registered legal interpreter to interpret the proceeding to that person and to interpret the testimony of that person to the court, magistrate or other person presiding over the proceeding.

2. If a registered legal interpreter cannot be found or is otherwise unavailable, or if the appointment of a registered legal interpreter will cause a substantial delay in the proceeding, the court, magistrate or other person presiding over the proceeding may, after making a finding to that effect and conducting a voir dire examination of prospective interpreters, appoint a registered interpreter or any other interpreter that the court, magistrate or other person presiding over the proceeding determines is readily able to communicate with the person with a communications disability, translate the proceeding for him or her, and accurately repeat and translate the statements of the person with a communications disability to the court, magistrate or other person presiding over the proceeding.