(The Administrative Office of the Courts supplied the following advance text of remarks by Chief Justice Ronald M. George to a joint session of the Legislature last evening.)

Last year, because of funding concerns, resources were withheld from a bill to provide interpreter services in critical civil proceedings. There can be no access to justice for one who cannot understand the proceedings. Information and forms increasingly are available in Spanish and other languages in courthouses and on the Judicial Council’s award-winning self-help website, but the need for interpreter services in the courtroom remains acute.

Meeting these needs will not be easy. There are numerous challenges, including the inadequate supply of qualified and certified court interpreters that we are working to supplement. But we must cope with the reality that every year more than 100 languages are spoken in California’s courts, sometimes interpreted by the young children of non-English-speaking parties. We are developing methods that will allow us to make incremental progress in answering this urgent need. We look forward to working with you to start implementing programs that will make a difference for so many persons in understanding and being understood when they come to court.