Family Law Tip of the Week

By Mag. Kimberly Dean Mattingly, Marion Superior Court

Regarding interpreters: Please be as specific as possible when requesting an interpreter for your client. Best practice is to include an affidavit signed by your client with facts such as: which language was learned as a child, what language (including dialect) is currently spoken by the client, whether the client can read or understand English, was English ever studied, is it used at work, etc. Understand that an interpreter will be provided only for hearing time – not to help you communicate with your client or during pre-hearing negotiations. Interpreters are very expensive (and worth every penny!), so those hearings will start and end on time to help keep the Court on budget. 

Stay tuned for a new tip next week!

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