Georgia Supreme Court Says Defendants Have Constitutional Right to Interpreter

The Georgia Supreme Court ruled on Monday that criminal Defendants who have limited ability to speak the English language or do not speak English at all have a constitutional right to an interpreter. The court emphasized that everyone in the United States has equal rights under the Constitution and there were not two different legal systems: one for English speaking citizens and one for everyone else.

Defendants have the right to an interpreter under their 6^th Amendment right as well as the due process clause of the 14th Amendment.