For most Americans born and raised in the United States, the American legal system can be a minefield of jargon and confusing procedures. According to West Palm Beach lawyer, from personal injury, family law, and immigration to other civil and criminal cases, your ability to understand the law and the procedures that guide it can determine if you win or lose a case.
As a Haitian immigrant fluent in Haitian Creole and an experienced attorney, I have seen how language and cultural differences influence the outcome of cases. Like other communities, it is important that the Haitian community has equal access to justice.
Fortunately, the legal system in Florida has tools to help bi-lingual individuals connect with interpreters and minimize potential disadvantages, including strict rules on Florida Jury Instructions. In the criminal justice system, interpreters can be provided for indigent defendants at no cost, and many legal forms are available in Spanish and Haitian Creole. However, even with these accommodations there is no substitute for having an attorney and a personal injury law firm that understand your community. Although well intentioned, translators simply do not have the time to spend explaining the deeper meanings of the laws and the words to their clients.
When choosing an attorney, you should feel confident that the attorney knows the disadvantages you may face as result of not being a native English speaker. Find a Haitian Creole speaking lawyer who is a part of the community and who can both explain your case to you and guide you when making important decisions.
Culturally competent legal counsel is also important when preparing clients to face jurors. In case of trial, jurors look at verbal and non-verbal expressions to determine, guilt, truthfulness, and damages. As a work injury lawyer in personal injury cases, I prepare my Haitian Creole speaking clients on how to use an interpreter and how to interact with the jury, as well as highlight to them the many cultural differences that may impact the way their message is received. This helps the client effectively communicate the truth and testify with confidence.
As a Haitian-American attorney, I am dedicated to making sure that members of the Haitian community have an equal opportunity to participate in our legal system and get justice where it is due. If you need legal assistance, email me at RCely@cplspa.com or call (407) 647-7887.
CPLS, P.A. is full service law firm with attorneys experienced in a wide range of areas, including but not limited to, immigration, Personal Injury Protection auto insurance cases, wills and estate, probate, family law, and contracts. Find out about all our services here.
