(1) As used in this section:
(a) “Assistive communication device” means any equipment designed to facilitate communication by a person with a disability.
(b) “Juror with a disability” means a person who is hard of hearing or speech impaired, who is summoned to serve as a juror and whose name is drawn for grand jury or trial jury service.
(c) “Qualified interpreter” means a person who is readily able to communicate with a juror with a disability, accurately communicate the proceedings to the juror and accurately repeat the statements of the juror.
(2) The court to which a juror with a disability is summoned, upon written request by the juror and upon a finding by the court that the juror requires the services of a qualified interpreter or the use of an assistive communication device in examination of the juror as to the juror’s qualifications to act as a juror or in performance by the juror of the functions of a juror, shall appoint a qualified interpreter for the juror and shall fix the compensation and expenses of the interpreter and shall provide an appropriate assistive communication device if needed. The compensation and expenses of an interpreter so appointed and the cost of any assistive communication device shall be paid by the public authority required to pay the fees due to the juror.
(3) An oath or affirmation shall be administered to a qualified interpreter appointed for a juror with a disability, in substance that the interpreter will accurately communicate the proceedings to the juror and accurately repeat the statements of the juror.
(4) A qualified interpreter appointed for a juror with a disability, or a person operating an assistive communication device for a juror with a disability, shall be present during deliberations by the jury on which the juror serves. An interpreter or person operating an assistive communication device may not participate in the jury deliberations in any manner except to facilitate communication between the juror with a disability and the other jurors or other persons with whom the jurors may communicate, and the court shall so instruct the jury and the interpreter.
(5) When a juror with a disability serves on a trial jury, the court shall instruct the jury on the presence of the qualified interpreter or person operating an assistive communication device. [1985 c.703 §9; 1989 c.224 §4; 1991 c.750 §6; 2007 c.70 §6; 2007 c.96 §1]
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