West Virginia Code 5-14A-5 – Administrative proceedings — Appointment of interpreter
(a) In any proceeding before any department, board, commission, agency or licensing authority of the state, in any political subdivision or municipality, wherein any deaf person is a defendant, the department, board, commission, agency, licensing authority, political subdivision or municipality shall appoint a qualified interpreter to interpret the proceedings to the deaf person and to interpret his or her testimony or statements if said deaf person requests an interpreter.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 5-14A-5
- Deaf person: means one whose sense of hearing is nonfunctional for the ordinary purposes of life. See West Virginia Code 5-14A-2
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Qualified interpreter: means an interpreter certified by the national association of the deaf (NAD) or registry of interpreters for the deaf (RID), or, in the event an interpreter so certified is not available, an interpreter whose qualifications are otherwise determined. See West Virginia Code 5-14A-2
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(b) In a proceeding before any department, board, commission, agency or licensing authority of the state, in any political subdivision or municipality, wherein any deaf person is an applicant, complainant or principal witness, the department, board, commission, agency, licensing authority, political subdivision or municipality may appoint a qualified interpreter to interpret the proceedings to the deaf person and to interpret his or her testimony or statements if said deaf person requests an interpreter.