[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/blog\/court-rules-non-english-speakers-have-the-right-to-serve-on-new-mexico-juries-in-contrast-to-texas\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/blog\/court-rules-non-english-speakers-have-the-right-to-serve-on-new-mexico-juries-in-contrast-to-texas\/","headline":"Court Rules Non English Speakers Have the Right to Serve on New Mexico Juries in Contrast to Texas","name":"Court Rules Non English Speakers Have the Right to Serve on New Mexico Juries in Contrast to Texas","description":"A ruling in New Mexico that citizens who don\u2019t speak English have the right to serve on juries has put the spotlight on other states with large Hispanic populations such as Texas. The New Mexico Supreme Court is cautioning trial courts and attorneys that citizens who don\u2019t speak English in a heavily Hispanic state, have...","datePublished":"2013-08-21","dateModified":"2022-09-06","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/blog\/author\/broden-mickelsen\/#Person","name":"Mick Mickelsen","url":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/blog\/author\/broden-mickelsen\/","identifier":16,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/30690d9f76c45bf5d61434169e78762d673b1ac9b949489cf69f1c78d567fc27?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/30690d9f76c45bf5d61434169e78762d673b1ac9b949489cf69f1c78d567fc27?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Broden, Mickelsen LLP","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broden-and-Mickelsen-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broden-and-Mickelsen-Logo.png","width":378,"height":77}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/lawyer-team-about-us.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/lawyer-team-about-us.jpg","width":806,"height":668},"url":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/blog\/court-rules-non-english-speakers-have-the-right-to-serve-on-new-mexico-juries-in-contrast-to-texas\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdhPitiCgWw#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdhPitiCgWw","name":"Unlike New Mexico, Texas Juries Require English Language Skills","description":"http:\/\/www.keyetv.com\/\r\nThe New Mexico State Supreme Court ruled this week that any of its citizens can serve on a jury -- even those who don't speak English.  It's a nod to the growing Hispanic population.  New Mexico allows its citizens who don't speak English to sit on juries because it's written that way in their state constitution.  Texas law is different.Travis County District Clerk Amalia Rodriguez-Mendoza makes it clear, In Texas the law is that they have to be able to understand, read and write the English language.  The jury qualifications clearly state you must be able to read and write.  Also clearly spelled out as an exemption for jury service is the inability to comprehend or communicate in English.419th District Civil Court Judge Orlinda Naranjo agrees, Everything that is done in Texas and almost every state ... most documents filed with the court are done in English. The proceedings are done in English.Some of the hardest work done by judges and lawyers is selecting the people who will sit in the jury box.  So requests from potential jurors seeking exemptions for jury service are taken very seriously.  Rodriguez-Mendoza says, The judge will go over all the disqualifications in court, all the exemptions. And if the person feels they're not understanding what's going on, they will have the opportunity to speak to the judge.With that said, jurors who speak other languages are welcome as long as they're also proficient in English.  Judge Naranjo says, We understand how important it is to include all of our citizens in our processes and in our legal system and have them serve as jurors.Whatever you do, don't ignore your jury summons.  The fine for that could be up to $1,000.By Fred Cantu","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/YdhPitiCgWw\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/YdhPitiCgWw\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/YdhPitiCgWw\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/YdhPitiCgWw\/sddefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2013-08-14T22:48:38+00:00","duration":"PT1M49S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YdhPitiCgWw","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCT2FAPpgWOGGXtpheDT6jkQ#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCT2FAPpgWOGGXtpheDT6jkQ","name":"CBS Austin","description":"CBS affiliate in Austin, Texas. Your breaking news & entertainment hub.\n","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/ytc\/AIdro_nN1sxBbnDKPLM07dLday2_Vt1aTEQ3iYBNALDStkqBA_I=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdhPitiCgWw#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdhPitiCgWw#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdhPitiCgWw&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdhPitiCgWw#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":240}]]},"about":["News"],"wordCount":420,"articleBody":"A ruling in New Mexico that citizens who don\u2019t speak English have the right to serve on juries has put the spotlight on other states with large Hispanic populations such as Texas.The New Mexico Supreme Court is cautioning trial courts and attorneys that citizens who don\u2019t speak English in a heavily Hispanic state, have a right to serve on juries, Associated Press reported. The right is enshrined in the state constitution, even if people are non-English speakers.The court issued an admonition this month in a unanimous ruling that upheld the conviction of an Albuquerque man for murder and other crimes.Michael Anthony Samora\u2019s appeal had argued that his convictions should be reversed because a Bernalillo County judge \u201cexcused a Spanish-speaking prospective juror who had trouble understanding English,\u201d AP reported.The ruling informed trial judges and lawyers that they \u201chave a shared responsibility to make every reasonable effort to protect the right of our non-English speaking citizens to serve on New Mexico juries.\u201dMichael A. Olivas, a University of Houston law professor, was quoted in the article as saying courts are required by the state\u2019s constitution to make available translators for Spanish-only speakers and typically make accommodations for speakers of other languages such as speakers of American Indian languages.Texas law is very different, KEYE TV pointed out in a recent article.It quoted Amalia Rodriguez-Mendoza, Travis County District Clerk, who stated: \u201cIn Texas the law is that they have to be able to understand, read and write the English language.\u201d The jury qualifications clearly state you must \u201cbe able to read and write.\u201dIndeed the \u201cinability to comprehend or communicate in English,\u201d is an exemption to jury service in Texas.419th District Civil Court Judge Orlinda Naranjo stated almost all court business in Texas and just about every other state, is carried out in English.The exemption can be challenging for those involved in jury selection in Texas and requests from potential jurors seeking exemptions for jury service are taken very seriously.Rodriguez-Mendoza said judges detail all the disqualifications in court, as well as all of the exemptions.\u201cAnd if the person feels they\u2019re not understanding what\u2019s going on, they will have the opportunity to speak to the judge.\u201dIt remains to be seen if the demographics will force changes in Texas at some point in the future. The 2006 census found 48.3 percent of Texas were white and 35.7 were Hispanic.By the early 2020s the Hispanic population is projected to eclipse non-Hispanic whites."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Court Rules Non English Speakers Have the Right to Serve on New Mexico Juries in Contrast to Texas","item":"https:\/\/www.brodenmickelsen.com\/blog\/court-rules-non-english-speakers-have-the-right-to-serve-on-new-mexico-juries-in-contrast-to-texas\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]