Translation and interpreting services in Eagan

Language access rules in Minnesota

Court interpreter program

Minnesota Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Program, run by a Court Interpreter Program Coordinator assigned to the State Court Administrator's Office; the State Court Administrator maintains and publishes the statewide roster of certified and non-certified court interpreters (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 8).

Court-certified languages

Spoken-language interpreters qualify for the statewide roster in part by passing an English proficiency, ethics, and court terminology examination, and become certified by passing a court interpreting competency examination under Rule 8.05; certification is not available for all languages, and sign language interpreters are certified through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf's Legal certification. Courts must appoint a certified interpreter when one is reasonably available, then a competent non-certified roster interpreter, and may go off the roster for spoken languages only after those options are exhausted.

The rule

Minn. Stat. § 611.32 requires the presiding judicial officer to appoint a qualified interpreter for a person who, because of difficulty speaking or understanding English or a communication disability, cannot fully understand a proceeding in which the person may be subjected to confinement, criminal sanction, or forfeiture, and Minn. Stat. § 546.43 requires the same for litigants and witnesses in civil actions; Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 8.02 sets the order of appointment.

Interpreters at arrest

Under Minn. Stat. § 611.32, subd. 2, when a person disabled in communication, including a person with difficulty speaking or understanding English, is arrested, the arresting officer must immediately make the contacts needed to obtain a qualified interpreter and must make one available before interrogating the person or taking a statement.

State and local agency proceedings

Minn. Stat. § 546.43, subd. 2 requires that when a witness or principal party in a proceeding before a state or local board, commission, agency, or licensing authority is disabled in communication, the pertinent proceedings be interpreted, in a language the person understands, by a qualified interpreter appointed by that body.

State agency bilingual staff and translations

Minn. Stat. § 15.441 requires state agencies that directly serve a substantial number of non-English-speaking people to employ enough qualified bilingual staff in public contact positions or enough interpreters, and encourages them to translate materials explaining their services, giving top priority to materials that notify people of legal rights, duties, and privileges.

Medicaid interpreter roster requirement

Minn. Stat. § 256B.0625, subd. 18a covers sign and oral language interpreter services in Medical Assistance, but covers face-to-face oral language interpreting only when the interpreter is listed in the registry or roster established under Minn. Stat. § 144.058.

Health care interpreter roster

The Minnesota Department of Health maintains a statewide, voluntary roster of spoken language health care interpreters under Minn. Stat. § 144.058, searchable by language and area, and notes that some insurers require roster listing before an interpreter can bill.

School notices

Minn. Stat. § 124D.60 requires districts and charter schools to notify parents of English learners in writing, in English and in the parents' primary language, that their child has been placed in a language instruction program, and the Department of Education must prepare the notice in that language at the district's request.