ABOUT LANGUAGE ACCESS
These Web pages were designed to benefit the state courts, prospective interpreters and anyone interested in how state courts meet the needs of, and continuously seek to improve, services to individuals with limited English proficiency.
RESOURCES
National Call to Action
Language Access: Called to Action
Language Access Basic Training
Written and Oral Exam Resources
Resources for Program Managers
Resources for Court Interpreters
Video Remote Interpreting
DIRECTORY
Contact Persons: Find contact persons by state here.
LAAC Members: Tonnya K. Kohn, SC, Chair Regina Petersen, VI, ​Vice-Chair Cynthia Clanton, GA Nancy Dixon, KS Justin Forkner, IN Glenn A. Grant, NJ Kathy Lloyd, MO Marcia M. Meis, IL Arthur W. Pepin, NM Sandra Vujnovich, LA
CLAC Liaisons to LAAC: Brenda Carrasquillo (NJ) Brooke Crozier (NC) Stacy Westra (MI)
LASS Staff: Konstantina Vagenas Director/Chief Counsel Access to Justice Initiatives 703-841-6903
Jacquie Ring Program Manager Language Access Services Section 703-841-6903
Kimberly Brooke Language Access Court Interpreter Specialist 703-841-6903
Alisa Kim Program Specialist Court Consulting Services 303-308-4340
Danielle Reier Program Specialist 703-841-6903
Justin Apperson Sr. Administrative Specialist 703-841-5624
The Court Consulting Services Division is pleased to welcome you to the Language Access Services Section (LASS). LASS provides state courts with resources to overcome language barriers in the courts and to ensure that providing individuals with limited English proficiency with access to the courts is a core function of the courts. LASS works closely with the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) through the Language Access Advisory Committee (LAAC) and the Council of Language Access Coordinators (CLAC).
About Us. Mission and history of LAAC and CLAC; CLAC state contacts; LASS staff; and NCSC's Language Access Resource Guide.
Professional rewards of being a court interpreter
Court interpreter credentialing
Video Remote Interpretation
NEW: Check out the VRI Resource Center as we continue to develop our collection of database, vendor, and supporting documentation for interpreters and courts.
National Call to Action NCSC's A National Call to Action Access to Justice for Limited English Proficient Litigants: Creating Solutions to Language Barriers in State Courts serves as a helpful road map to jurisdictions as they work toward improving services to LEP litigants. Read More...
Language Access: Called to Action NCSC's Called to Action: 5 Years of Improving Language Access in the States Courts provides a summary of the significant efforts towards improving language access services undertaken by jurisdictions nationwide in the five years since the 2012 National Summit on Language Access in the Courts. Read more...
Limited English Proficiency and the State Courts: Final Report In furtherance of the state courts' commitment to developing and improving language access services, the National Center for State Courts provided direct technical assistance, guidance, and new tools for state and local courts with the support of a State Justice Institute (SJI) Strategic Initiatives Grant awarded in 2013.
Language Access Basic Training The LABT is a downloadable interactive training module for bilingual court employees who interact with people outside of the courtroom, developed by the New Mexico Center for Language Access along with the NCSC, the Council of Language Access Coordinators (CLAC) and the Language Access Advisory Committee (LAAC). It is funded by the State Justice Institute.
Written and Oral Exam Resources List of exams; testing schedules and fees by state; certification requirements; construction and administration manuals; rater information.
Resources for Program Managers Details on each state's Language Access program and key components of successful programs; members-only resources; key access and limited English proficiency publications.
Resources for Court Interpreters Self-assessment tools, self-study resources, glossaries and dictionaries; colleges and universities that offer interpreter courses; codes of professional responsibility; interpreter events/workshops; compensation and salary information; related websites.
Conferences and Events
CLAC Events.
The 2020 CLAC Conference (invitation only) will be held in Bloomington, Minnesota from September 20-22, 2020. Please select here for more information.
The 2019 CLAC Conference (invitation only) was held in San Francisco, California from September 23-25, 2019. Please select here for details.
The 2018 CLAC Conference (invitation only) was held in Austin, Texas from May 6-9, 2018. Please click here for more information.
The 2017 CLAC Conference (invitation only) took place in Washington, D.C. from May 21-May 24, 2017. Please select here for more information.
The 2016 CLAC Conference (invitation only) was held in New Orleans, Louisiana from May 22-May 25, 2016. Please find more information here...
The 2015 CLAC Conference (invitation only) took place in Santa Fe, N.M., from May 17-May 20, 2015. Read more...
The Second Annual CLAC Conference (Invitation only) convened on April 27-30, 2014 in Portland, Oregon. Please find all the details here.
An online archive of the 2012 National Summit on Language Access in the Courts presentation materials and resources is available at www.ncsc.org/languagesummit