Courts throughout America should be accessible to all people whether English is their primary language or not.

  Apparently Virginia’s chief justice doesn’t understand that. An article recently featured in Virginia Lawyers Weekly newpaper explains how the state’s Judicial Commission has “balked at a proposal” to help those for whom English is a second language when they appear in court.

  The council was following the lead of Chief Justice Leroy Roundtree Hassell Sr., who was quoted as saying, “We ought to encourage people to learn to use the [English] language and become a part of our culture and our norms. … We shouldn’t encourage people to rely on any language other than English in our courts.”

  Fortunately, Wisconsin’s court system has not been so short-sighted or exclusionary in its approach to those with limited English skills.

  Back in 2004, our state’s court system drafted a Language Assistance Plan to make the courts more accessible. A centerpiece in the courts effort has been the creation of a court interpreter program  to ensure that qualified individuals are available to provide translation services in the courts.

  The state courts’ Web site even contains what is believed to be the country’s first Hmong Legal Glossary  created in 2006 to help the state’s growing Hmong population as it deals with legal issues.

  Wisconsin’s court system should be praised for its efforts to make the courts open to everyone, including those with limited English skills. They are no less deserving of full access to our courts and the protections of our laws. The courts also deserve our support as they seek necessary funding to continue these efforts.