Public comment is now open for proposed amendments to rules related to interpreter services.

Public comment is now open for proposed amendments to rules related to interpreter services.

Public Comment is now open on proposed amendments to rules related to interpreter services in the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio.

The proposed changes were recommended to the Commission on the Rules of Superintendence and by members of the Advisory Committee on Language Services in response to the ongoing demand for language interpreters in courtrooms.

The Supreme Court recognizes the crucial role interpreters play in ensuring access to justice for all Ohioans and is working to grow the numbers by recruiting bilingual speakers, increasing testing frequency, and examining language assessment tools to qualify interpreters.

The Court’s Language Services Section worked with the Advisory Committee to develop proposed rule amendments that qualify court interpreters without foregoing quality and allowing out-of-state credentialed interpreters to apply to Ohio for reciprocity.

Some of the proposed rule changes include:

• Making the provisional certification referenced in Sup.R. 81(G)(3) permanent rather than a three-year category.
• Adding Sup.R. 81(G)(5) to create a “conditionally approved foreign language interpreter” that may be used in ancillary court services or minor or simple misdemeanors.
• Giving the Language Services Section the ability to accept credentials from other states that meet the requirements in Ohio.
• Adding Sup. R. 87, qualifying the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to assist with translation and interpretation in legal settings. As proposed, GenAI is permitted to translate websites and general information but not for legal forms or substantive legal writing. GenAI is also not permitted for purposes of interpreting legal proceedings and case or court functions where individual rights are at stake.

The Court will accept public comments until June 2. See the proposed amendments and instructions for submitting comments here.