Uso de intérpretes en procesos penales en Carolina del Sur

Explicación Simple

Si alguien no entiende inglés durante un juicio, el juez tiene que conseguir a alguien que hable su idioma para ayudar. Esto es importante para que pueda entender lo que sucede y dar su testimonio si es necesario.

Es como cuando en una clase de cocina hay un profesor que habla otro idioma. Si no entiendes las instrucciones, necesitas a alguien que traduzca para que puedas seguir la receta correctamente.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagina que María, que habla solo español, es testigo en un juicio. El juez se da cuenta que no entiende lo que se dice, así que llama a un intérprete certificado que le ayuda a entender las preguntas y a dar su testimonio en su idioma.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

SECTION 17-1-50. Interpreters in criminal proceedings. (A) As used in this section: (1) "Certified interpreter" means an interpreter who meets the standards contained in subitem (A)(4) and is certified by the administrative office of the United States courts, by the office of the administrator for the state courts, or by a nationally recognized professional organization. (2) "Legal proceeding" means a proceeding in which a nonEnglish speaking person is a party or a witness. (3) "NonEnglish speaking person" means a party or a witness participating in a legal proceeding who has limited ability to speak or understand the English language. (4) "Qualified interpreter" means a person who: (a) is eighteen years of age or older; (b) is not a family member of a party or a witness; (c) is not a person confined to an institution; and (d) has education, training, or experience that enables him to speak English and a foreign language fluently, and is readily able to interpret simultaneously and consecutively and to sight-translate documents from English into the language of a nonEnglish speaking person, or from the language of that person into spoken English. (5) "Victim" means a victim as defined in Section 16-3-1110. (6) "Witness" means a person who testifies in a legal proceeding. (B)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever a party, witness, or victim in a criminal legal proceeding does not sufficiently understand or speak the English language to comprehend the proceeding or to testify, the court must appoint a certified or otherwise qualified interpreter to interpret the proceedings to the party or victim or to interpret the testimony of the witness. (2) However, the court may waive the use of a certified or otherwise qualified interpreter if the court finds that