[lg policy] New Jersey: Court reverses DUI case because of language issue

[Harold Schiffman]

Court reverses DUI case because of language issue
BETH DeFALCO

The Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. - Police in New Jersey must explain the state's implied
consent law to motorists in a language that they understand. The state
Supreme Court on Monday overturned a conviction for refusing to take
an alcohol breath test because the man, who spoke only Spanish, did
not understand the consequences. The court says a Plainfield police
officer failed to inform German Marquez in Spanish that he would lose
his license if he refused the test.

Police had responded to a two-car accident in 2007. The officer
initially asked in English for Marquez to show his license. The
officer then repeated the request in Spanish.
He said he didn't understand what police were reading to him and that
he had taken his driver's license exam in Spanish.



http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/new_jersey/98244119.html#ixzz0tg6h0TA9



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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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