1. Appropriate teams

A team of two Level 3 lipspeakers is usually required for appropriate communication in Courts of Law.

2. Appropriate fees

Fees are set by the Lord Chancellor's Department^* and information on the appropriate fee for the Court is usually available from the List Officer, the Clerk to the Court, or from agencies registered with the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP). The fees payable for assignments within the legal domain are usually slightly higher than those for other areas of work.^**

Agencies are advised to obtain information on fees payable before negotiating a contract with lipspeakers. Cancellation fees need to be taken into consideration. It is not unusual for cases to be delayed or cancelled or for timetables to be altered at very short notice.

3. Appropriate contracting

Lipspeakers are advised to accept contracts directly from the Courts or from CACDP-registered agencies. Solicitors wishing to engage lipspeaking services should contact these agencies.

All lipspeakers will expect cancellation fees to be set out in their contracts and conditions of service. No lipspeaker should be expected to attend unless they are in receipt of a written contract before leaving home.

4. Qualifications

Two Level 3 lipspeakers, who have added background knowledge of the legal domain, should be engaged. They are listed in the CACDP Directory 2001/2002. The Association of Lipspeakers' Information Office can also give you names of their members who are qualified to work in the legal domain.

5. Why are two Lipspeakers needed?

Lipreading is very a tiring skill. Lipspeaking is also very tiring and accuracy of the message passed to the lipreader is of the upmost importance.

Lipspeakers repeat, simultaneously and verbatim, the entire proceedings of the court. They are processing the information and passing it on all the time, without a break. It is not possible to do this, with the level of accuracy required, for long periods of time. A changeover every 20 minutes to half an hour is recommended. Lipspeakers should not be required to stand still for a longer period of time while working.

Lipreaders are using a very small visual frame. They need to process the visual message and store it in the long-term memory before considering a response and speaking. A change of focus and a different face may prolong the possible lipreading time between rest breaks. In case of an emergency a second lipspeaker is available to assist or take over.

6. Points to remember

• The lipspeaker has to hear clearly. Please speak up; soft voices and mumbles, or asides, are unacceptable.
• If two people speak at once, neither message can be passed on.
• The speaker needs to speak clearly and at a moderate pace. Before beginning, invite the lipreader to interrupt if the pace, volume or environment need adjustment.
• Background noise and secondary conversations within the courtoom will impede the work of the lipspeaker.

Useful contacts

Association of Lipspeakers
ALS Information Office
5 Furlong Close, Upper Tean, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire ST10 4LB
Tel: 01538 722482
Fax/Textphone: 01538 722442
E-mail: information@lipspeaking.co.uk
ALS Website: www.lipspeaking.co.uk

Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP)
Durham University Science Park, Block 4, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3UZ
Tel: 0191 383 1155
Textphone: 0191 383 7915
Fax: 0191 383 7914
E-mail: durham@cacdp.co.uk
Website: www.cacdp.org.uk/