Local News in Brief : $85,000 Awarded in English-Only Order

A bilingual Latina who was once ordered to speak only English while at work in a county courthouse received an $85,000 settlement as part of a 4-year-old ruling.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gadbois in 1985 revoked a decree by three Municipal Court judges requiring workers at the Southeast Municipal Court in Huntington Park to speak English only during working hours.

That order stemmed from a co-worker’s complaint that Alva Gutierrez, 33, of Maywood, a former deputy clerk and court interpreter, was speaking Spanish on the job. The co-worker, who was not bilingual, contended Gutierrez was gossiping about him.

“I feel great. It’s wonderful. Justice prevailed,” Gutierrez said after Gadbois on Monday approved an award to her of $85,000 in damages, attorneys’ fees and other costs.