Fla. Stat. 90.6063
Interpreter services for deaf persons

(1)

The Legislature finds that it is an important concern that the rights of deaf citizens be protected. It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that appropriate and effective interpreter services be made available to Florida’s deaf citizens.

(2)

In all judicial proceedings and in sessions of a grand jury wherein a deaf person is a complainant, defendant, witness, or otherwise a party, or wherein a deaf person is a juror or grand juror, the court or presiding officer shall appoint a qualified interpreter to interpret the proceedings or deliberations to the deaf person and to interpret the deaf person’s testimony, statements, or deliberations to the court, jury, or grand jury. A qualified interpreter shall be appointed, or other auxiliary aid provided as appropriate, for the duration of the trial or other proceeding in which a deaf juror or grand juror is seated.

(3)(a)

“Deaf person” means any person whose hearing is so seriously impaired as to prohibit the person from understanding oral communications when spoken in a normal, conversational tone.For the purposes of this section, the term “qualified interpreter” means an interpreter certified by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or an interpreter whose qualifications are otherwise determined by the appointing authority.

(3)(a)

“Deaf person” means any person whose hearing is so seriously impaired as to prohibit the person from understanding oral communications when spoken in a normal, conversational tone.

(b)

For the purposes of this section, the term “qualified interpreter” means an interpreter certified by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or an interpreter whose qualifications are otherwise determined by the appointing authority.

(4)

Every deaf person whose appearance before a proceeding entitles him or her to an interpreter shall notify the appointing authority of his or her disability not less than 5 days prior to any appearance and shall request at such time the services of an interpreter. Whenever a deaf person receives notification of the time of an appearance before a proceeding less than 5 days prior to the proceeding, the deaf person shall provide his or her notification and request as soon thereafter as practicable. In any case, nothing in this subsection shall operate to relieve an appointing authority’s duty to provide an interpreter for a deaf person so entitled, and failure to strictly comply with the notice requirement will not be deemed a waiver of the right to an interpreter. An appointing authority may require a person requesting the appointment of an interpreter to furnish reasonable proof of the person’s disability when the appointing authority has reason to believe that the person is not so disabled.

(5)

The appointing authority may channel requests for qualified interpreters through:The Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf;The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation of the Department of Education; orAny other resource wherein the appointing authority knows that qualified interpreters can be found.

(a)

The Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf;

(b)

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation of the Department of Education; or

(c)

Any other resource wherein the appointing authority knows that qualified interpreters can be found.

(6)

No qualified interpreter shall be appointed unless the appointing authority and the deaf person make a preliminary determination that the interpreter is able to communicate readily with the deaf person and is able to repeat and translate statements to and from the deaf person accurately.

(7)

Before a qualified interpreter may participate in any proceedings subsequent to an appointment under the provisions of this act, such interpreter shall make an oath or affirmation that he or she will make a true interpretation in an understandable manner to the deaf person for whom the interpreter is appointed and that he or she will repeat the statements of the deaf person in the English language to the best of his or her skill and judgment. Whenever a deaf person communicates through an interpreter to any person under such circumstances that the communication would be privileged, and the recipient of the communication could not be compelled to testify as to the communication, this privilege shall apply to the interpreter.

(8)

An interpreter appointed by the court in a criminal matter or in a civil matter shall be entitled to a reasonable fee for such service, in addition to actual expenses for travel, to be paid out of general county funds.

Source: Section 90.6063 — Interpreter services for deaf persons, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0090.­6063 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

90.91
Photographs of property wrongfully taken 90.101
Short title 90.102
Construction 90.103
Scope 90.104
Rulings on evidence 90.105
Preliminary questions 90.106
Summing up and comment by judge 90.107
Limited admissibility 90.108
Introduction of related writings or recorded statements 90.201
Matters which must be judicially noticed 90.202
Matters which may be judicially noticed 90.203
Compulsory judicial notice upon request 90.204
Determination of propriety of judicial notice and nature of matter noticed 90.205
Denial of a request for judicial notice 90.206
Instructing jury on judicial notice 90.207
Judicial notice by trial court in subsequent proceedings 90.301
Presumption defined 90.302
Classification of rebuttable presumptions 90.303
Presumption affecting the burden of producing evidence defined 90.304
Presumption affecting the burden of proof defined 90.401
Definition of relevant evidence 90.402
Admissibility of relevant evidence 90.403
Exclusion on grounds of prejudice or confusion 90.404
Character evidence 90.405
Methods of proving character 90.406
Routine practice 90.407
Subsequent remedial measures 90.408
Compromise and offers to compromise 90.409
Payment of medical and similar expenses 90.410
Offer to plead guilty 90.501
Privileges recognized only as provided 90.502
Lawyer-client privilege 90.503
Psychotherapist-patient privilege 90.504
Husband-wife privilege 90.505
Privilege with respect to communications to clergy 90.506
Privilege with respect to trade secrets 90.507
Waiver of privilege by voluntary disclosure 90.508
Privileged matter disclosed under compulsion or without opportunity to claim privilege 90.509
Application of privileged communication 90.510
Privileged communication necessary to adverse party 90.601
General rule of competency 90.603
Disqualification of witness 90.604
Lack of personal knowledge 90.605
Oath or affirmation of witness 90.606
Interpreters and translators 90.607
Competency of certain persons as witnesses 90.608
Who may impeach 90.609
Character of witness as impeachment 90.610
Conviction of certain crimes as impeachment 90.611
Religious beliefs or opinions 90.612
Mode and order of interrogation and presentation 90.613
Refreshing the memory of a witness 90.614
Prior statements of witnesses 90.615
Calling witnesses by the court 90.616
Exclusion of witnesses 90.701
Opinion testimony of lay witnesses 90.702
Testimony by experts 90.703
Opinion on ultimate issue 90.704
Basis of opinion testimony by experts 90.705
Disclosure of facts or data underlying expert opinion 90.706
Authoritativeness of literature for use in cross-examination 90.801
Hearsay 90.802
Hearsay rule 90.803
Hearsay exceptions 90.804
Hearsay exceptions 90.805
Hearsay within hearsay 90.806
Attacking and supporting credibility of declarant 90.901
Requirement of authentication or identification 90.902
Self-authentication 90.903
Testimony of subscribing witness unnecessary 90.951
Definitions 90.952
Requirement of originals 90.953
Admissibility of duplicates 90.954
Admissibility of other evidence of contents 90.955
Public records 90.956
Summaries 90.957
Testimony or written admissions of a party 90.958
Functions of court and jury 90.2035
Judicial notice of information taken from web mapping services, global satellite imaging sites, or Internet mapping tools 90.4025
Admissibility of paternity determination in certain criminal prosecutions 90.4026
Statements expressing sympathy 90.5015
Journalist’s privilege 90.5021
Fiduciary lawyer-client privilege 90.5035
Sexual assault counselor-victim privilege 90.5036
Domestic violence advocate-victim privilege 90.5037
Human trafficking victim advocate-victim privilege 90.5055
Accountant-client privilege 90.6063
Interpreter services for deaf persons

Current through Fall 2025

§ 90.6063. Interpreter services for deaf persons's source at flsenate​.gov