The Judicial Council and National Center for State Courts will conduct a free public webinar to review strategies for making limited-English speakers, including those in rural communities, aware of language services and multilingual materials available to increase their access to the court system.

The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, April 22 from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Justice partners, community organizations, and other language access stakeholders face challenges, including the digital divide, in serving diverse communities across California, particularly during the pandemic. This webinar will explore resources and services employed by courts in different regions to reach linguistically diverse and rural communities and build public trust and confidence in the courts.

Justice partners, local/county bar associations, legal services organizations, community organizations, law libraries, and other language access stakeholders are encouraged to attend the webinar.

For more information, to register, or to access previously recorded webinars: www.courts.ca.gov/languageaccess.htm

Roughly 20 percent of Californians—nearly 7 million—have some English-language limitations, making it difficult to access the courts without significant language assistance. To help address this need, the Judicial Council adopted the Strategic Plan for Language Access in the California Courts, which provides a consistent statewide approach to ensure language access for all limited-English speakers.