Under the U.S. Constitution, defendants in court have the right to understand the proceedings against them, to participate in their own defense, to consult with a lawyer and to question witnesses.  All of that becomes more complicated when defendants don’t speak the same language used in court.  In Wisconsin, about 3% of the resident population, or about 178,000 people, lack the English proficiency necessary to participate in a court hearing.  Federal and state law requires that counties provide interpreters for non-English speakers in court, but qualified interpreters are in short supply.  Wisconsin Assembly Bill 292, introduced by New Berlin representative Dave Maxey, would allow courts to use artificial intelligence, instead of human interpreters. Kevin Smith, Janesville Regional Attorney Manager for Wisconsin State Public Defenders joined the Monday Buzz on August 4, 2025.

Photo of Dane County Courthouse by Brian Standing for WORT News.

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