1. An interpreter or translator shall be appointed without expense to a limited-English-proficient person in the following cases:

 a. If the person requiring assistance is a witness in the civil legal proceeding.
 b. If the person requiring assistance is indigent and financially unable to secure an interpreter.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 622A.3

  • Administrative agency: means any department, board, commission, or agency of the state or any political subdivision of the state. See Iowa Code 622A.1
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Interpreter: means a person who transfers the meaning of spoken or written words in one language into the equivalent meaning in another spoken language. See Iowa Code 622A.1
  • Legal proceeding: means any action before any court, or any legal action preparatory to appearing before any court, whether civil, criminal, or juvenile in nature; and any proceeding before any administrative agency which is quasi-judicial in nature and which has direct legal implications to any person. See Iowa Code 622A.1
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • State: includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession subject to the legislative authority of the United States. See Iowa Code 633D.2
  • Translator: means a person who transfers the meaning of written or spoken words in one language into the equivalent meaning in the written words of another language. See Iowa Code 622A.1
 2. The state court administrator shall receive, review, and pay fee claims from an interpreter or translator appointed under subsection 1, including all interpreter or translator claims formerly paid from the indigent defense fund. The fees shall be paid from the revolving fund created in section 602.1302, subsection 3, when a limited-English-proficient person is entitled to an interpreter or translator under section 622A.2 and the interpreter or translator services are not provided before an administrative agency.
 3. In civil cases, every court shall tax the costs of an interpreter or translator the same as other court costs.
 4. In criminal cases, where the defendant is indigent, the interpreter or translator shall be considered as a defendant’s witness under rule of criminal procedure 2.15 for the purpose of receiving fees, except that subpoenas shall not be required.
 5. An administrative agency shall pay an interpreter when a limited-English-proficient person is entitled to an interpreter under section 622A.2 and the interpreter services are provided before an administrative agency. The agency may require that the party to the proceeding pay the expense of the interpreter.
 6. Moneys recovered as court costs for interpreters paid through the revolving fund established in section 602.1302, subsection 3, shall be deposited in that fund.