Supreme Court of Ohio 2011 Annual Report

Ensuring Access
The court made progress on
several fronts in 2011:
PRO BONO SERVICE
Figures released in 2011 showed
that more attorneys in Ohio
appear to be volunteering legal
service to people in need. Ohio
attorneys reported 45 percent
more pro bono hours in 2010
than in 2009, for a total of almost
140,000 hours, the most in the
three years the statistics have
been collected.
Access to Justice
Chief Justice O’Connor emphasized diversity and access to
justice as major issues for her incoming administration in her
inaugural speech, and throughout the year her colleagues
on the bench joined her in a series of changes marking progress
to ensure all Ohioans have timely, fair access to the justice system,
regardless of who they are or where they come from in life.
“In the next six years, we will do better in this area,” Chief Justice
O’Connor said. “This starts with continuing the good work we have
already begun in this area. From the Law and Leadership program
that prepares the next generation of urban students to consider a
career in the law, to implementing a new education component to
train judges to recognize and eliminate bias in the courtroom, to
making more court forms accessible in many languages, to requiring
court foreign language interpreters become certified, there are
numerous ways the Supreme Court supports greater diversity
throughout the legal system.”
PICTURED: Chief Justice O’Connor congratulates a newly certified
interpreter during a February 1, 2011, ceremony at the Supreme Court of
Ohio as Interpreter Services Program Manager Bruno Romero looks on.
INTERPRETER SERVICES
In February, the court held a
ceremony honoring the first
group of 23 court interpreters
to be certified by the Supreme
Court of Ohio.
In July, the court adopted a new
rule requiring courts to hire
a certified foreign language
or sign language interpreter,
when available, to ensure the
“meaningful participation”
of deaf and limited English
proficient individuals in court
proceedings. The rule takes
effect January 1, 2013. Sup.R.
88 also requires courts to “use all
reasonable efforts” to avoid the
appointment of interpreters who
may have a conflict of interest.
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