Hope and Help in Hindi

It is a daunting experience to try and navigate through the legal system. The terminology, the procedures, the "legal-eze" of it all can be overwhelming. When English is your second language, the experience quickly goes beyond overwhelming to seemingly hopeless.

Such was the situation for one of our recent clients. She came to us because her husband received a traffic citation issued by a town's automated red light enforcement program. It took her by surprise, because she knew he was a very careful driver who would not purposefully run a red light. The citation they were mailed was accompanied by a photo of their car as taken by the traffic camera. It clearly showed the brake lights activated, and a car still in front of them at the stop line. By all appearances, they could defend themselves against this ticket ... but that would mean her husband would need to request a hearing, and it was something they did not want to face alone.

Administer Justice didn't want her to face it alone, either. We encouraged the client to request a hearing date to contest the ticket, and in the meantime, we tried to locate someone to go to court with her. Attorney Shazia Bux accepted the case and arranged to meet with the client.

During their initial meeting, Shazia could sense the struggle her client was having while trying to express her thoughts in English. She asked the client what her what her native language was. By a coincidence that only God could orchestrate, the client and Shazia both spoke the same Indian language -- no small miracle considering that India has 30 different languages and over 2000 dialects!

Relieved that she had found an advocate that was not only understood the law but also understood her in a way most others could not, our client had a new-found confidence in her situation, and in fact was able to work with Shazia on a second legal issue as well.

Although Administer Justice can't boast of having attorneys who speak every language - yet! - we continue to be humbled and awed by God's goodness and grace as He enables us to meet the needs of those who come to us for help and hope.