[Anonymous]

I have lost a work tribunal in Barcelona last November to two south americans looking after my holiday rental house for me. The result is a disaster to me personally as I now owe 40.000€ and I don’t have it. I am now facing losing my home in an auction to pay for the debt.

I am pending all of my hopes on one simple fact that is clear under the (Carta de derechos del ciudadano) Bill of Citizens Rights under the Spanish Law.

I was booked a professional interpreter for the morning of the hearing. They never turned up. The judge took it upon himself to decree the hearing would still go ahead regardless of my acting lawyers protest. I was denied a translator by the judge at the hearing. I had a bi-lingual friend with me on the day but he was refused entry into the court. I did have a bilingual lawyer acting for me, but I was not allowed to sit with him. hence I had no idea what was being said in the court. How can that hearing be a fair trial, how can I make a proper defence or advise my lawyer when I have absolutely no idea what was being said or what I was being accused of?

I simply want to explore either yes, the judge has the legal right to deny me a translator or No he didn’t and therefore the case should be thrown out?

The law clearly states:

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6.- El ciudadano tiene derecho a que en las vistas y comparecencias se utilice un lenguaje que, respetando las exigencias técnicas necesarias, resulte comprensible para los ciudadanos que no sean especialistas en derecho.
Los Jueces y Magistrados que dirijan los actos procesales velarán por la salvaguardia de este derecho.
31. El extranjero tiene derecho a ser atendido por todos los que prestan sus servicios en la Administración de
justicia de acuerdo con lo que se establece en esta Carta y sin sufrir ninguna discriminación en razón de su raza,
lengua, religión o creencias; particularmente cuando se trate de menores de edad y acord con lo que
disponen los convenios internacionales ratificados por España.

ha de garantizar el uso de intérprete cuando el extranjero que no conozca al castellano ni, si
la lengua oficial propia de la comunidad autónoma, tenga que ser interrogado o prestar alguna
declaración, o cuando haya que hacerle a conocer personalmente alguna resolución.

32. Los extranjeros inmigrantes en España tienen derecho a recibir una protección adecuada de la Administración
de justicia con el fin de asegurar que comprenden el significado y trascendencia jurídica de las actuaciones
procesales en que intervengan por cualquier causa.
Los jueces y tribunales, así como el Ministerio Fiscal, tienen que velar en todo momento por el cumplido de este
Derecho

18.- El ciudadano tiene derecho a exigir responsabilidades por error judicial o por el funcionamiento anormal de la Administración de Justicia.

http://www.poderjudicial.es/cgpj/es/Servicios/Atencion_Ciudadana/Guias_para_ciudadanos/Carta_de_Derechos_de_los_Ciudadanos
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Reading this it seems to me that the judge had a responsibility towards me as a non speaking foreigner to grant me protection of an interpreter and ensure I was granted a fair trial, which he clearly failed on both points.

Has anyone else had a nightmare like this? Does anyone think i have an argument or advice?

Best Regards

[Anonymous]

Like all & sundry. Appeal against the decesion.

[Anonymous]

Toby, sorry to hear about the problems you are having. What does your lawyer say on this question?

Also, what was the original problem that lead to the case, if you don’t mind saying?

[Author]

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