Resources: Court Decisions
A variety of court decisions relating to cases in which deaf individuals were involved is presented. Additional legal cases are an available in the Resources for Legal Interpreting.
Reviewing and analyzing these decisions will help legal interpreters gain a deeper understanding of how the law is applied to various legal issues, the logic and reasoning used in making legal decisions, and the policies and procedures followed by the courts in making decisions. All of this assists an interpreter in learning how to work within the legal system more effectively.
Reading & Understanding Court Decisions offers a skill development activity guide to apply levels of inquiry to understand decisions made by the courts based on case law.
Sheneman provides an ASL overview of this resource section and how it can be used.
New to case law? Watch "How to Read a Case" presented by Debra Patkin, the National Association of the Deaf's staff attorney.
Court Decisions Involving Deaf People:
- Anonymous v. Superintendent of Hospital, 33 Conn.Supp. 191 (1977) - This case pertains to mental health hospitalization.
- Barron ex rel. D.B v. South Dakota Bd. of Regents, 655 F.3d 787 (2011) - This case pertains to the education of Deaf children.
- Bednarski v. Bednarski, 141 Mich.App. 15 (1985) - This case pertains to child custody.
- Belton v. Georgia, Not Reported in F.Supp.2d (2012) - This case pertains to access to mental health services.
- Bronk v. Ineichen, 54 F.3d 425 (1995) - This case pertains to housing discrimination.
- Columbus Clony Housing, Inc. v. Limbach, 45 Ohio st.3d 253 (1989) - This case pertains to housing.
- Durand v. Fairview Health Services, 0:2015cv02102 (2015) - This case pertains to the failure to provide auxiliary aids in a hospital.
- Holmes v. State, 494 So.2d 230 (1988) - This case pertains to competency to stand trial for murder.
- In re T.L.V., 148 S.W.3d 437 (2004) - This case pertains to delinquent conduct by a minor.
- King v. Marion Circuit Court, Slip Copy (2016) - This is a bench trial for a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Linton v. State, 275 S.W.3d 493 (2009) - This case pertains to driving while intoxicated.
- Matter of Guardianship of Polin, 675 P.2d 1013 (1983) - This case pertains to competency and guardianship.
- Patrice v. Murphy, 43 F.Supp.2d 1156 (1999) - This case pertains to a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- People v. Rodriguez, 145 Misc.2d 105 (1989) - This case pertains to the provision of interpreters to grand jury witnesses.
- State v. Jenkins, E2001-01173-CCA-R9-CO (2002) - This case pertains to suppressing a statement made to police.
- State v. Perrigo, 10 Kan.App.2d 651 (1985) - This case pertains to aggravated incest.
- State v. Wright, 768 N.W.2d 512 (2009) - This case pertains to a jury conviction for murder and kidnapping.
- Tennessee v. Lane, 541 U.S. 509 (2004) - This case pertains to a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Tugg v. Towey, 864 F.Supp. 1201 (1994) - This case pertains to accessing mental health services in American Sign Language.
- U.S. v. Dempsey, 830 F.2d 1084 (1987) - This case pertains to a juror's deafness in a theft conviction.
- Vasquez v. Kirkland, 572 F.3d 1029 (2009) - This is a federal petition for writ of habeas corpus.
- Winkler v. Winkler, 689 N.e.2d 447 (1997) - This case pertains to child custody.
Cases Related to Interpreting:
The following cases were compiled by the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers' 2009 Legal Interpreting Workgroup. A PDF version of these cases is available - NCIEC Case List.
Interpreter’s Oath/Qualification as an Expert on the Record
Federal:
State:
- State v. Newcomb, 2004 Ohio 4099, P17 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004)
- State v. Alvarez, 797 N.E.2d 1043, 1046 (Ohio 2003)
- Ledezma v. State, 626 N.W.2d 134, 149 (IA 2001)
- State v. Gonzales-Morales, 979 P.2d 826 (Wash. 1999)
- Choi v. State, 497 S.E.2d 563 (Ga. 1998)
- Denton v. State, 945 S.W.2d 793 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1996)
- State v. Rodriguez, 682 A.2d 764 (N.J. Super. Law 1996)
- State v. Mendoza, 891 P.2d 939 (Ariz. App. Div. 1 1995)
- Manbeck Nurseries v. Ohio Civil Rights Comm’n, 639 N.E.2d 1247 (Ct. App. Ohio, 1994)
- People v. Braley, 879 P.2d 410 (Colo. 1993)
- State v. Burris, 643 P.2d 8, 14 (Ariz. App. 1988)
- State v. Rosa, 547 N.E.2d 1232 (Ct. App. Ohio 1988)
- Paucher v. Enterprise Coal Mining Co,183 Iowa 86, 87 (1918)
- Kley v. Abell, 483 S.W.2d 625, 628 (Mo. App. 1972)
Objections Based on Plea Not Knowingly and Voluntarily Entered
Federal:
State:
- State v. Alvarez, 797 N.E.2d 1043, 1044-45 (Ohio 2003)
- Tamayo-Reyes v. Keeney, 926 F.2d 1492, 1495 (9th Cir. 1991)
- State v. Nieves, No. 90-L-14-003, 1990 WL 208821 (Ct. App. Ohio Dec. 14, 1990)
Sixth Amendment Rights to Confrontation and Effective Assistance of Counsel
Federal:
- Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68, 76 (1985)
- United States v. Sanchez, 928 F.2d 1450, 1455 (6th Cir. 1991)
- U.S. ex rel. Negron v. New York, 310 F. Supp. 1304 (E.D.N.Y. 1970)
- United States v. Carrion, 488 F.2d 12 (1st Cir. 1974)
- United States ex rel. Navarro v. Johnson, 365 F.Supp. 676 (E.D. Pa. 1973)
- United States v. Desist, 384 F.2d 889 (2d Cir.), aff’d, 394 U.S. 244 (1969)
States
- State v. Lopez, 114 Ohio St. 3d 1411 (Ohio 2007)
- State v. Roldan, 855 A.2d 455, 448 (N.H. 2004)
- State v. Razo, 157 Ohio App. 3d 578 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004)
- People v. Rivera, 480 N.Y.S.2d 426 (1984)
- Salazar v. State, 93 S.W.3d 339 (Tex App. Texarkana 2002)
- People v. Resendes, 210 Cal. Rptr. 609 (Cal. App. 5 Dist. 1985)
- Bednarski v. Bednarski, 366 N.W.2d 69 (Mich. App. 1985)
- State v. Van Pham, 675 P.2d 848, 856 (Kan. 1984)
- State v. Gonzalez-Gongora, 673 S.W.22d 811, 816 (Mo. App. 1984)
- People v. Carreon, 198 Cal. Rptr. 843 (Cal. App. 5 Dist. 1984)
- People v. Aguilar, 35 Cal. 3d 785, 787, 677 P.2d 1198 (Cal. 1984)
- People v. Rioz, 161 Cal. App. 3d 905 (1984)
- People v. Mata Aguilar, 35 Cal. 3d 785, 677 P.2d 1198 (Cal. 1984)
- People v. Rivera, 390 N.E.2d 1259 (1st Dist. Ill. 1979)
Standard of Interpretation
Federal:
- Valladares v. United States, 871 F.2d 1564, 1566 (11th Cir. 1989)
- United States v. Cirrincione, 780 F.2d 620, 633 (7th Cir. 1985)
State:
- State v. Negash, 170 Ohio App. 3d 86 (Ohio Ct. App. 2007)
- State v. Lopez, 2007 Ohio 202 (Ohio Ct. App. 2007)
- State v. Rodriguez, 2001 Ohio 2179 (Ohio Ct. App. 2001)
- State v. Mendoza, 2001 Ohio 2178 (Ohio Ct. App. 2001)
- Denton v. State, 945 S.W.2d 793 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1996)
- State v. Her, 510 N.W.2d 218, 222 (Minn. 1994)
Grant Recognition
The contents of the Project CLIMB website was developed under a grant (#H160D160001) from the Department of Education. The contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education. Do not assume endorsement by the Federal government.
As of December 31, 2021, this grant project is no longer active or soliciting applications.
This website will remain available as a resource.
The National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM) website is a central portal for accessing archived and new rehabilitation training resources offering search capabilities, a quality rating system, as well as enhanced usability and accessibility.
