Section 107. Cost of Providing Interpreters for Persons with Limited English Proficiency

(a) General rule.—An interpreter appointed pursuant to § 203 is entitled to a reasonable fee for interpreter services and shall be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses in accordance with the compensation schedule approved by the Court Administrator pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 4411(d).

(b) Principal party in interest.—If the person with limited English proficiency is a principal party in interest, the payment of the cost of providing the interpreter shall be the responsibility of the county of the court or the appellate court that has jurisdiction over the judicial proceeding for which the interpreter was appointed.

(c) Witness.—If the person with limited English proficiency is compelled to appear as a witness in a judicial proceeding for a criminal matter or juvenile proceeding pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to juvenile matters), the payment of the cost of providing the interpreter shall be the responsibility of the county of the court that has jurisdiction over the judicial proceeding for which the interpreter was appointed.

(d) Assignment of costs.—Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), disposition of all or part of the cost of providing interpreter services shall be in the discretion of the presiding judicial officer and in accordance with the compensation schedule established by the Court Administrator, unless the principal party in interest is indigent. If the principal party in interest is indigent, the cost of providing interpreter services shall be the responsibility of the county of the court or the appellate court that has jurisdiction over the judicial proceeding for which the interpreter was appointed. Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), the presiding judicial officer may order reimbursement to the county of the court or the appellate court that has jurisdiction over the judicial proceeding for which the interpreter was appointed for its responsibilities under this chapter. In determining the amount of actual and reasonable expenses to be paid to the interpreter, the presiding judicial officer shall follow the fee schedule for interpreters established by the Court Administrator.

Comment

The compensation schedule referred to in subsection (a) will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and the official web site of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and will be subject to periodic review. In a judicial district comprised of more than one county, the county of the court that has jurisdiction over the judicial proceedings is the county in which the cause of action arose.