Commissioners told language‑access plan will be paused; district courts press for standalone office funding
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Summary
District court leaders urged commissioners to fully fund a countywide Language Access Office during Sept. 2 budget hearings; interim administrator Jesse Dickerman said the county will pause full stand‑up for FY26 and asked courts to approve a concrete implementation plan before moving forward.
District court administrators and county officials traded updates on Sept. 2 about a proposed Harris County Language Access Office and broader interpretation/translation services after the county’s Office of County Administration said planned efforts have repeatedly failed to get underway.
District Courts Administrator Richard Woods and presiding judges told commissioners they had put a $7.1 million service‑enhancement request for a Language Access Office into FY26 books and that demand for interpretation and translation services has already increased. Woods said district courts had been working with court partners to estimate labor and non‑labor costs and to draft a plan “so that language is never a barrier to justice.”
Interim County Administrator Jesse Dickerman said OCA has set aside money in prior fiscal years for a language‑access program that has not been spent, and recommended that the county treat FY26 funding as a pause — make the money available through the budget process but only stand up a central Language Access Office once a concrete implementation plan is approved and timelines agreed.
District and county judges warned commissioners that the county already pays for many interpretation needs out of multiple funds and that, if the central office were not created and funded, the county could end up paying the same costs piecemeal while residents continue to experience inconsistent access. Judges said the county’s casework spans 100+ languages and that mandated court interpretation requires certified interpreters in many hearings.
On the Justice of the Peace side, JP presiding judges said licensed interpreters would help ensure compliance and reduce last‑minute higher interpreter costs (e.g., higher hourly rates for requests made inside 48 hours). Several JP judges recommended a program that funds training and certification for bilingual clerks to increase internal capacity.
Officials agreed on next steps: OCA will return with a detailed plan and timeline for the Language Access Office and district courts will continue to track short‑term interpretation needs while the county finalizes the FY26 appropriations. Commissioners asked OMB to identify offsets if the court wants to proceed with full stand‑up in FY26.
Speakers quoted: Richard Woods (District Courts Administrator); Jesse Dickerman (Interim County Administrator); Judge Richard (Latasha) Lewis Payne (District judge); multiple justices of the peace (collective remarks).
