Art. 192.2.Appointment of Interpreter For Non-English-Speaking Persons
Title I. Courts · Chapter 4. Power and Authority · Last amended 2024 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 192.2 requires a Louisiana judge, on request, to appoint an interpreter for a non-English-speaking party or witness in accordance with the Code of Evidence and Louisiana Supreme Court rules, to be paid a fixed reasonable amount from court funds, and requires early appointment in abuse proceedings.
Full Text of Art. 192.2
Text size
A. If a non-English-speaking person who is a party or a witness in a proceeding before the court has requested that the court appoint an interpreter for the proceeding, a judge shall appoint an interpreter in accordance with the Code of Evidence and the Rules of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
B. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the court shall order payment to the court- appointed interpreter for his services at a fixed reasonable amount, and that amount shall be paid out of the appropriate court fund.
C. In a proceeding alleging abuse in accordance with R.S.46:2134 et seq., an interpreter, if necessary, shall be appointed prior to a rule to show cause hearing.
Article 192.2 gives non-English-speaking parties and witnesses a path to a court-appointed interpreter, but it works differently from the interpreter rule for deaf and severely hearing-impaired persons in Article 192.1. Here, the trigger is a request: paragraph A requires the judge to appoint an interpreter once a non-English-speaking party or witness has asked the court to do so, following the standards set in the Code of Evidence and the rules of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Paragraph B addresses payment. The court must order a fixed reasonable amount paid to the interpreter for services rendered, drawn from the appropriate court fund — again placing the cost on the court rather than on either party, regardless of any other law that might suggest otherwise.
Paragraph C carves out a time-sensitive category: proceedings alleging abuse under R.S. 46:2134 and following. In those cases, if an interpreter is needed, the court must appoint one before the rule to show cause hearing, not afterward. That timing rule reflects how quickly protective-order proceedings move and how much can turn on a party’s ability to understand and respond to the allegations at that first hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the court appoint an interpreter automatically for a non-English speaker?
Not automatically. Article 192.2 requires the party or witness to request the appointment; once requested, the judge must appoint an interpreter under the Code of Evidence and the Louisiana Supreme Court’s rules.
Who pays the interpreter appointed under Article 192.2?
The court does. The judge orders payment of a fixed reasonable amount from the appropriate court fund, regardless of any other law suggesting a different arrangement.
Is there a special rule for abuse cases?
Yes. In proceedings alleging abuse under R.S. 46:2134 et seq., Article 192.2(C) requires the court to appoint a needed interpreter before the rule to show cause hearing, rather than waiting until later in the case.
What is the difference between this article and Article 192.1?
Article 192.1 addresses interpreters for deaf and severely hearing-impaired persons and applies whenever that need arises. Article 192.2 addresses interpreters for non-English-speaking persons and turns on a request from the party or witness who needs one.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the vLex (Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, 2026 Edition). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:non-english speaking interpreter louisiana courtarticle 192.2 code of civil procedurecourt interpreter for abuse hearing louisianalanguage interpreter civil case louisianawho pays interpreter fees louisiana court