An Interpreter In Court
Minn. Stat. 611.32 — a qualified interpreter whenever confinement, a criminal sanction or forfeiture is possible
Minnesota's statutes speak of a person disabled in communication, and they reach both criminal and civil cases.
- In any proceeding in which a person disabled in communication may be subjected to confinement, criminal sanction or forfeiture of property, and in any preliminary proceeding including a grand jury and a mental health commitment proceeding, the presiding officer appoints a qualified interpreter for that person and for any witness disabled in communication.
- In a civil action in which a disabled person is a litigant or witness, the presiding officer appoints a qualified interpreter to serve throughout the proceedings.
- Proceedings before a state or local board, commission, agency or licensing authority are interpreted in a language the person understands.
At arrest. After arrest of a person disabled in communication, the arresting officer immediately makes the contacts needed to obtain a qualified interpreter at the place of detention at the earliest possible time, and explains all charges and the procedures for detention and release with the interpreter's help. Before interrogation or taking a statement, the officer makes a qualified interpreter available.
Court rules on interpreter certification, scheduling, and the interpreter's code of conduct sit alongside the statute and are not on this page. Whether a particular proceeding was interpreted adequately, and what follows if it was not, are questions for a licensed Minnesota attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Minn. Stat. 611.32 — Proceedings where interpreter appointed
- Minn. Stat. 546.43 — Proceedings where interpreter appointed
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.