Language Access & Court Records Department

Overview

The Massachusetts Trial Court Language Access and Court Records Department is responsible for overseeing court programs and services related to spoken language access to interpreters and translators for the limited English proficient (LEP), low literacy court users, and American Sign Language (ASL) or Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART) for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals with court matters. The office also provides access to administrative records and trial transcripts of digitally recorded court proceedings for the bench, the bar, the public, and pro se, self-represented litigants (SRL). 

The Office of Language Access (OLA), Office of Transcription Services (OTS), and Records Management Centers (RMC) ensure all laws, court rules, regulations, and standards for court programs and services are met, including but not limited to:

  • Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • Executive Order 13166 that strengthened Title IV in 2000
  • The Trial Court's Uniform Transcript Format (UTF) of 2008
  • The Standards and Procedures of the Office of Language Access of 2009 and 2021
  • The Supreme Judicial Court's Rule 1:07 Fee Generating Appointments for all qualified candidates for appointments to produce trial transcriptions
  • Rule 1:11 relative to disposing of court papers and retaining records. 

Collectively, the department’s offices provide equal and meaningful access for everyone in the administration of justice. 

The Department is directed by Sybil A. Martin, Ph.D., she/her/hers.

Contact us

Address

2 Center Plaza, 9th floor, Boston, MA 02108
Image credits:  Shutterstock

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