July 2, 2007
Alabama Supreme Court Hears Arguments on English-only Driver's Test
The Alabama Supreme Court was scheduled to hear arguments on June 20, 2007, in a lawsuit challenging the state’s practice of offering its driver’s license test in multiple languages. In 2005, several residents sued the state, arguing that the test should be limited to English because a constitutional amendment passed in 1990 made English the state’s official language. The state argues that it is bound by a ruling in a prior federal lawsuit that said an English-only requirement violates the U.S. Constitution because it discriminates by national origin. A circuit judge upheld the state’s position, and the plaintiffs appealed. The state now gives driver’s license exams in 14 languages including English and will argue to continue the current practice.
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