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Posted: Friday, 03 July 2009 10:22AM
NJ Upholds DWI Despite Language Confusion
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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- A court ruling in New Jersey could change the way police treat drunken driving suspects in the Garden State who don't speak English.
A state appeals court has recommended that New Jersey translate instructions about breath tests into Spanish and other widely spoken languages.
Despite the recommendation, the appeals court decided earlier this week to uphold the conviction of a Hispanic man who said he refused a breath test because he didn't understand instructions from police that were in English .
The three-judge panel said to rule otherwise would pave the way for anyone stopped on suspicion of drunken driving to refuse the test by claiming they don't understand English.
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