OTTUMWA — A filing in an Ottumwa case illustrates one of the basic tenets of the American legal system and its costs.

Adem Anota is charged with one count of kidnapping. The charge is a Class A felony, among the most serious and one of only a few crimes that carries an automatic life sentence if the defendant is convicted.

There’s a catch with this case: Anota’s primary language isn’t English. It’s Amharic, a semitic language spoken in Ethiopia.

While criminal defendants are generally represented by professional attorneys who make strategic decisions in the case, both federal and state law require that a defendant must be able to assist in his defense and understand the charges being brought. That most commonly comes into question when a defendant may not be mentally capable, but language can also prove a barrier.

That’s where court-appointed interpreters come in. It isn’t enough to simply be able to speak the language. Interpreters in a courtroom setting have specialized training and are able to communicate what can be detailed legal issues. And interpreting includes more than just spoken languages; sign language interpreters are also used. More.

See: Ottumwa Courier

Subscribe to the translation news daily digest here. See more translation news.