Harris County proposes more funding for interpreters, language access in civil courts

Harris County is poised to increase the number of publicly-funded courtroom interpreters under a $725,000 plan to expand language access in district and county civil courtrooms.

The proposed investment comes nearly three months after the Houston Landing reported the county has long provided free interpreters to people navigating criminal cases, but it does not always offer the same to those involved in civil cases.

Some legal advocates say the denial of publicly-funded interpreters in local civil courts has become so routine they rarely bother to submit requests.

Now, county court administrators are asking to increase the number of contract interpreters from nine to 47, according to Harris County Local Administrative Judge Latosha Lewis Payne, who presides over the 55th state district court.

The bulk of the funding, $475,000, is being proposed for the Office of Court Management, which helps oversee operations at the county courts of law and the justice courts. The remaining $250,000 would go to state district courts, which oversee felony, divorce and other civil matters that involve more than $200 in damages.

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The cost of interpreters can run to hundreds of dollars per hearing, which advocates say can create an unnecessary barrier for people who do not speak English to understand and participate in court proceedings.

County leaders are engaged in budget hearings this week, with department directors making their cases to maintain or add funding for the fiscal year that begins next month. Commissioners Court is expected to vote on the final spending plan by the end of the month.

District and civil court judges have accepted a new language access plan and are ready “to move forward with it with the support of funding this,” Payne said.

“These are critical functions that are definitely needed in order to make sure that justice continues to move forward,” Payne said.

In addition to the beefed up interpreter ranks, the plan calls for an annual review of languages utilized in the court system and whether others should be added, Payne said. The plan also calls for additional notice and signage about individuals’ rights to interpreter services.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 145 languages are spoken in Harris County.

Earlier this year, the Office of County Administration said it first was contacted by Judge Lina Hidalgo in 2021 to draft a plan for providing interpreters in the court system.

Commissioners Court may approve the additional funding for interpreters, but it will be up to the courts and judges to implement the policy.

Ed Wells, court manager for Harris County, said last year that the courts fell $500,000 short when it came to interpreter costs, which had to be patched through a budget amendment and a special fund dedicated to language access.

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He said often the largest expense when it comes to interpreters is that they need emergency orders for languages outside of Spanish — which is twice the normal rate — because courts do not know until the last minute that one is needed. Cases also are often delayed because of the lack of interpreters.

“For years we have asked for additional funding and we’ve gotten little pieces of it, but it’s never been enough,” Wells said. “We’re meeting the need today but again, there are limitations to that — too often judges and attorneys and everyone are left waiting.”

For individuals attempting to navigate in the civil courts, the costs for interpreters can be steep. Interpreters in Houston can typically cost $200 or more an hour, and there often is a two-hour minimum for services.

Case hearings often only last minutes, lawyers said, but clients remain on the hook to pay the minimum. Cases also are frequently postponed, which can create additional financial challenges for litigants.

The costs and difficulty coordinating arrangements for interpreters often result in people opting to drop their legal cases, advocates said.

Daniel Ramos, the county’s budget director, said once the language access plan is finalized and there is an “actionable plan,” he would support the increased funding.

Nusrat Ameen, senior director at Daya, a non-profit that supports South Asian domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, said she is “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects of the courts getting additional funding.

The organization regularly helps with interpreter costs, but struggles to meet the demand. It often requires creative solutions, such as covering other costs such as groceries or rent so clients can afford an interpreter.

“I think there should be more money,” she said. “But it’s a good starting point. Hopefully it will be a positive step toward getting more people free interpreters.”