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Kissimmee
- St Cloud |
TOPICS OF INTEREST
Court’s leaflets to speak Spanish KISSIMMEE – Attorney Mercedes León has seen the frustration and confusion her Spanish-speaking clients experience when they try to navigate the court system. “The whole process is already overwhelming as it is,” said León, who is bilingual. “There’s not enough Hispanic resources. The whole system is geared to be non-Spanish speaking.” Court administrators, recognizing the booming Hispanic population in Osceola, are planning to make things easier for Spanish speakers by t4ranslating informational brochures into Spanish. Orange County is doing the same. The need is even greater in Osceola, however, where nearly 29 percent of the county’s 172,493 residents are Hispanic, 2000 Census figures show. That’s an increase of 294 percent in 10 years. In Kissimmee, nearly 42 percent of residents are Hispanic. Attorney Luis Davila said he spends lots of time directing Spanish speakers to county, city or court offices and explaining how things work. Spanish brochures would help, he said. “We find ourselves taking a lot of time just giving basic information to people,” said Davila, who also is bilingual. The translation process for documents will be slower in Osceola than in Orange County because officials first must print English brochures about everything from drug court to victim-as-assistance programs. The printing was delayed while waiting for the new Osceola courthouse to open last May, said Karen Levey, spokeswoman for the 9th Judicial Circuit, which includes Orange and Osceola counties. “What we’re playing now is catch-up,” she said. “We are in the process of picking and choosing the brochures we feel are in the highest need.” A coloring book that explains that court process to children and a Teen Court pamphlet will be translated, Levey said. Once the English brochures are printed, Spanish ones will follow, she said. Videos also will be either dubbed or subtitled. “We are really committed to translating those audio and written materials for Spanish speakers,” Levey said. Jury pamphlets probably won’t be included because jurors are required to speak English, she said. Osceola Clerk of Courts, Larry Whaley just finished printing a brochure of his own, explaining what the clerk’s office does and giving phone numbers and hours of operation. The plan is to translate the brochure into Spanish, he said, although his office is still searching for the best and most economical method of printing it. The English version was printed in house, but the process, while inexpensive, was cumbersome, he said. Whaley has further tried to make the court system more accessible to Hispanics by making sure some employees in each department speak Spanish, including traffic, ma4rriage, passport, civil, criminal and recording. Bilingual employees are paid slightly more as an incentive. A few employees also speak languages that are less in demand, such as Hungarian, Polish and Tagalog, spoken in the Philippines. The capability cuts down on mistakes and misinterpretations. Whaley said. “It makes for a lot simpler operation for everyone and a more correct operation,” he said. Susan Jacobson can be reached at sjacobson@orlandosentinel.com or 407-931-5946. |
Criminal Defense
Serving Kissimmee, Longwood, Orlando, Sanford and St. Cloud in Brevard County, Orange County, Osceola County and Seminole County. |
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