Kudos to Stephen Beardsley – attorney, gadfly and downtown New Albany advocate:
Justices examine translator case; Court considers providing interpreter for all non-English-speaking defendants, by Lesley Stedman Weidenbener (short shelf life for some Courier-Journal links).
Attorney Stephen Beardsley of New Albany argued yesterday that the court should pay for translators to help all non-English-speaking defendants, regardless of their income.
"An interpreter -- so key to fundamental due process -- is part of the basic apparatus of the courtroom in the same way that a court stenographer, as a bailiff, indeed as a judge is," he said.
Definitely good stuff. I've no idea what legal precedent might say, but I'm inclined to believe his argument as well.
ReplyDeleteSome of you may or may not be aware of this fact, but Mr. Beardsley had the forethought and established Main Street Historical Preservation Association years ago.
ReplyDeleteTo me, I've always felt his historical work should be honored. Having seen some of his handiwork being done in his building lately in the CJ; it's good to read where he is also arguing before the IN Supreme Court.
Wouldn't you have thought a translator would already have been part of the law?