No English, No Problem - Such was the Ruling by a Judge in New Jersey

Court Rules that Law Enforcement Officers must be able to communicate citations & laws broken in the language of the person involved.

Court rules New Jersey cops must advise drivers of DUI consequences in a language they understand

Police in New Jersey must explain the state's implied consent law to motorists in a language that they understand.

The state Supreme Court on Monday overturned a conviction for refusing to take an alcohol breath test because the man, who spoke only Spanish, did not understand the consequences.

The court says a Plainfield police officer failed to inform German Marquez in Spanish that he would lose his license if he refused the test.

Police had responded to a two-car accident in 2007. The officer initially asked in English for Marquez to show his license. The officer then repeated the request in Spanish.

He said he didn't understand what police were reading to him and that he had taken his driver's license exam in Spanish.

So another criminal set free by the Judicial System after he had caused an accident under the influence of alcohol. The judge sided with the criminal because the criminal was not explained what would happen if he had refused to take a breathalyzer test. The officer is noted to have asked him about his license in Spanish but did not use Spanish for the remaining encounter.

This is wrong on many levels, this individual who is proven to have caused an accident under the influence of alcohol set free. Even if he did not submit to a breathalyzer test had he known only his license would be suspended, would that make those involved in the accident because of this reckless driver feel much safer that this DUI criminal would be set free the next day.

What are your thoughts?










[edit on 13-7-2010 by prionace glauca]

Sucks but easy solution.

Bi-lingual flashcards with the stated law and cautions written in most languages. Even an Ipod/iphone with an application designed for that purpose.

Military have it (flash cards) so should the cops.

Originally posted by Master Shen long
Sucks but easy solution.

Bi-lingual flashcards with the stated law and cautions written in most languages. Even an Ipod/iphone with an application designed for that purpose.

Military have it (flash cards) so should the cops.

I agree with solution you propose and as that would definitely cover the language barrier from the officers point of view. As an added bonus I would like to see these criminals also in their sentencing be ordered to learn English and they can not leave jail until they pass a certain proficiency test.










[edit on 13-7-2010 by prionace glauca]

When are they going to make English the official language? If they don't do it soon, I feel Spanish will be the official language within 10-20 years, or at least it will be bilingual.

reply to post by prionace glauca


My problem with this is that it creats a slippery slope. What if somebody shows up that only knows how to speak a certain rural Chinese dialect. Do we need a translator that can tell people the rules in several different Arabic dialects?

You can not have an interperter for every language and printing flash cards isn't always a solution. Can you read hebrew when you see it?

I remember when the position of the court was that ignorance of the law, and resulting consequences, was not a defense.

Political correctness gone mad.

This is a sad statement for where legislature focuses its time.

Whatever happened to the 80/20 rule. You build your process to handle 80% and you deal with the 20% exceptions as exceptions.

reply to post by prionace glauca


I think drunk driving laws are a load of crap that should be abolished.

Laws do not solve problems.

The people that drive drunk do so knowing full well the consequences if they get caught, as do the people that do drugs, rob liquor stores, etc.. etc.. etc..

The difference between a drunk driver and a liquor store robber is that the person that robs the liquor store causes damage to a person and their property.

The drunk driver on the other hand has hurt no one.

The proper course of action is to only create "laws" that have a victim and then punish people who have done damage to another persons property/person.

The man should be charged with the crime of property damage due to the accident.

He should not be charged with a DUI, because the DUI in and of itself has no victim.

Victimless crime should be abolished.

The purpose of laws is ONLY to punish those who have caused damage to another person's property/person.



[edit on 13-7-2010 by mnemeth1]

reply to post by mnemeth1


I don't think drunk driving laws are to be considered outrageous. They do have a purpose to serve and that is to deter any danger from those who are repeat offenders and once caught will be dealt with appropriately.

Originally posted by bettermakings
When are they going to make English the official language? If they don't do it soon, I feel Spanish will be the official language within 10-20 years, or at least it will be bilingual.

Now what would be so bad about that? You do not have a national language, and you are a capitalist country, so let the market decide. If you have to become bilingual in order to remain in competition do it.

They estimate that over 100 different languages and dialects are spoken in NJ. This is just wrong and provides no incentive for any immigrant legal or illegal to learn English!! Let's just keep amending our laws to appease these poor hapless folks who CHOSE to come to the US.

Hell, I can barely travel to Quebec without being frowned upon for being an American who can't speak Canadian French.

Originally posted by jibeho
They estimate that over 100 different languages and dialects are spoken in NJ. This is just wrong and provides no incentive for any immigrant legal or illegal to learn English!! Let's just keep amending our laws to appease these poor hapless folks who CHOSE to come to the US.

Hell, I can barely travel to Quebec without being frowned upon for being an American who can't speak Canadian French.

You do know that Canadian French is the official language of Quebec right?

So you're mad that there are no incentives made to make people learn an unofficial language in New Jersey, but you're also mad that the French Canadians frown on you for not making an effort to speak their official language when in their country?

Do you have any idea how exceptionalist and bigoted that sounds?

Originally posted by ProjectJimmy
You do know that Canadian French is the official language of Quebec right?

So you're mad that there are no incentives made to make people learn an unofficial language in New Jersey, but you're also mad that the French Canadians frown on you for not making an effort to speak their official language when in their country?

Do you have any idea how exceptionalist and bigoted that sounds?

When tourists are visiting an area, usually those in that area cater to the needs of the tourists to attract their business. So if French Canadians are learning English to woo American Tourist dollars, all power to them.

In NJ, this criminal was a resident of the state. Though its not a requirement yet, but if this person had attended any form of the education system in NJ he might have been able to at least comprehend what the officer was asking him.

All in all, English will be enacted as the Nations Language and all criminals who can not comprehend English enough to be able to communicate meaningfully should have included in their sentence English lessons paid for by the criminal himself and if that person is being sentenced to jail...they should not be released until they pass a English proficiency test.

Originally posted by ProjectJimmy

Originally posted by jibeho
They estimate that over 100 different languages and dialects are spoken in NJ. This is just wrong and provides no incentive for any immigrant legal or illegal to learn English!! Let's just keep amending our laws to appease these poor hapless folks who CHOSE to come to the US.

Hell, I can barely travel to Quebec without being frowned upon for being an American who can't speak Canadian French.

You do know that Canadian French is the official language of Quebec right?

So you're mad that there are no incentives made to make people learn an unofficial language in New Jersey, but you're also mad that the French Canadians frown on you for not making an effort to speak their official language when in their country?

Do you have any idea how exceptionalist and bigoted that sounds?

I think you misunderstood and I should have been a little more explicit. I was alluding to a double standard and the fact that the US is expected to always bow down and cave in with regards to our laws due to political correctness and correctness alone. The NJ law is out of control PC.

I don't expect carte blanche treatment either when I travel to a foreign nation. But I make attempts to navigate the language on a toddler level. I won't get started on the province of Quebec.

Missouri is Way Ahead of Arizona

All the more reason to follow Missouri's lead and establish a language!

I guarantee that Mexican officials do not care if I don't understand their language! I guarantee it, because I know it first hand! I have been stopped by a pickup truck full of automatic weapon carrying Federales, and I have paid whatever fine they decided was appropriate at the roadside. Language did not matter, numeros y dineros is all that mattered!

I once had a dog murdered by a bum. I really hate bums, btw. Anyway, the police let him go after 48 hours, despite the felony animal cruelty charges, and their reason was because he didn't have an address to serve his warrant to? He was in jail? His address was jail? Didn't matter, because he had a terrible accident and stepped way to close to a travelling delivery truck one day, and my boss didn't even mind fixing the broken mirror, although we couldn't really talk about the "accident."

Justice should be served. All the time. No exceptions. Why let a stupid law get in the way of justice?

reply to post by getreadyalready


Missouri definitely has a heads up on how this
country needs to wake up from the invasion
of radicals into areas that make the laws and guide
this country.

We already let in the most radical of any administration to date after
FDR. They are trying to do as much before they are kicked out of office.
As soon as they are kicked out, we need to set the record straight and
have laws that mimic those of AZ and MO regarding Illegal immigration and being proficient in English.