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Confessions are inadmissible without interpreters' testimony.

By Marks & Katz, LLC

 Bill of Rights. (From the public domain.) Foreign language interpretation is an art rather than a precise science (which helps explain why the Chevy Nova sold so poorly in Latin America, seeing that "no va" means "no go"). Consequently, it would seem obvious that suspects' statements made through a foreign language interpreter are inadmissible against the suspect at trial if the interpreter does not testify to said statements.  However, at least in Texas, it appears that some of the intermediate appellate courts are in conflict over this hearsay issue. Texas's Fifth District Court of Appeals properly recognizes as inadmissible hearsay the testimony of a suspect's interpreted statement if the testimony does not come through the interpreter...continue to full post

Full post as published by Underdog on February 19, 2008 (boomark / email).