The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 1 : General Provisions
Chapter 005 : Common Law; General Rights
Subchapter 005 : INTERPRETERS FOR JUDICIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS
(Cite as: 1 V.S.A. § 339)-
§ 339. Communications made to interpreters; prohibition on disclosure
(a) An interpreter, whether or not the interpreter is a qualified interpreter, shall not disclose or testify to:
(1) a communication made by a person to an interpreter acting in the capacity of an interpreter for a person who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind or a person with limited English proficiency; or
(2) any information obtained by the interpreter while acting in the capacity of an interpreter for a person who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind or a person with limited English proficiency.
(b) There is no prohibition on disclosure under this section if the services of the interpreter were sought or obtained to enable or aid anyone to commit or plan to commit what the person who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind or the person with limited English proficiency knew or reasonably should have known to be a crime or fraud.
(c)(1) This section shall not be construed to limit or expand the effect of section 334 of this title.
(2) This section shall not be construed to alter or affect the mandatory reporting requirements of 33 V.S.A. § 4913.
(d) As used in this section, “person with limited English proficiency” means a person who does not speak English as the person’s primary language and who has a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. (Added 2003, No. 142 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2005, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. May 20, 2006; 2013, No. 96 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2023, No. 36, § 7, eff. July 1, 2023.)
