Amends the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act to require that initial pleadings in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico be filed in either the Spanish or English language. Requires further pleadings and proceedings to be in English unless: (1) the defendant in a criminal case requests that they be in Spanish; (2) all parties in a civil case agree that they be in Spanish; or (3) the court orders such pleadings and proceedings to be in Spanish.
Requires court decisions to be in the language used in the trial or proceeding. Allows the court to order the translation of any court decision. Requires appellate documents to be in English, unless the appellate court directs otherwise. Directs the District Court to pay translation costs.
Grants rulemaking authority to the District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Authorizes the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico to apply to the Judicial Council of the First Circuit for a waiver of the requirement that subsequent proceedings in certain cases be in Spanish if such Chief Judge determines that the substantial number of filings arising from the same or related occurrence or the existence of a large multidefendant case would render the District Court unable to try such cases expeditiously.
Prohibits the disqualification of persons on a Federal grand or petit jury in Puerto Rico solely because of a person's inability to understand English if such person is able to understand the language used in the proceeding for which the juror is called. Allows the Government attorney to determine whether a grand jury is to be conducted in English or Spanish.
Directs the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to report periodically to Congress on the implementation of this Act. Requires such Office, together with the District Court for Puerto Rico, to report triennially to Congress on the implementation of this Act during the period in which Spanish may be used in the Court.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Committee on The Judiciary.
Referred to Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights.
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