Who pays for interpreters for deaf?
posted Wednesday, November 21st, 2012 @ 8:59 am

If the local court rules that an interpreter be provided for a deaf person in court, who pays for that interpreter?

The Louisiana Attorney General's Office recently gave its opinion on the matter.

During a hearing in a civil case in the Seventh Judicial District Court in Vidalia involving a divorce and community property settlement, the judge appointed interpreters for the parties who were hearing impaired.

Additionally, the judge ordered that the interpreters be paid pursuant to state law.

First Asst. Dist. Atty. Ann Siddall asked the Louisiana Attorney General for an opinion on whether the Concordia Parish Police Jury is responsible for paying these fees, and, if so, should they be paid out of the parish's general fund or from the Judicial Expense Fund.

The AG's office answered that when an interpreter is appointed pursuant to the Louisiana Interpreter Law, the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf may pay the interpreter's fees set by the court.

However, if the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf does not cover an interpreter's fees, "the Judicial Expense Fund for the Seventh Judicial District would be another viable source of such payment."