There are a lot of situations in life which can see you struggling with the law. You don’t have to be hardened criminal to find yourself in court, with a lot of the people facing legal action having to do so as the result of a mistake. Of course, in other cases, individuals will choose to take on the law, fighting things like divorces or property planning. In any case, the language you speak can have a big impact on the way your case is handled, and this is a challenge which a lot of people are having to deal with in the modern world.
Misrepresentation
In a country like the US, the majority of the population speak English. Recognised as the country’s native language, courts are usually held using it, presenting an immediate issue for those who speak something else. If the judge, your lawyer, and the jury all speak a different language, how exactly are you supposed to get fair representation? Translators are often used to help with this, but this means that information can easily be altered before it reaches the right set of ears.
Understanding
Each country has its own set of rules, and laws differ wildly between different territories. Trying to understand complicated legal texts will be just about impossible when you don’t speak the language which they are spoken in. This gets even more difficult when words which relate specifically to the field of law are used. Cultures and languages aren’t consistent in the way that they express concepts, making a rule which is only used in once place very confusing for those who come from elsewhere.
Bias
While most people wouldn’t consider themselves racist, research has shown that most people will show some sort of racial bias. This is often seen in the way that people are sentenced, with those who aren’t white often being punished far more harshly than those who are, despite strict rules being in place to stop it from happening. Societal issues like this are very hard to solve, as it is impossible to find a jury which is completely neutral.
Solving It
Solving an issue like language in law is a big struggle. The wider picture seems impossible to influence, as the world is simply too large for universal decisions to be made. In the courtroom itself, though, professional lawyers like Abogada Hilda Sibrian are able to make a much more meaningful difference. Speaking both English and Spanish, lawyers like this are able to communicate with everyone in the room, making it possible for information to be shared accurately. While this leaves issues like biases unchecked, it can make legal processes far easier for normal people to understand.
Being at the mercy of the law is never a nice prospect. No one likes the idea of being arrested, and even fewer will feel happy about having to go to court. This only gets worse when you’re out of your comfort zone, though, and language barriers are one of the worst causes of this problem.
