The U.S. Department of Justice and the New Jersey judiciary have settled allegations that the Monmouth vicinage courts failed to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access for those with limited English proficiency and that it retaliated against a court employee for reporting those concerns.

The agreement resolved an investigation into the allegations by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, according to a statement Thursday regarding the settlement. The investigation took place between 2019 and 2023, and the DOJ relayed its findings to the state judiciary in a June 27, 2023, letter, which detailed findings of retaliation and concerns related to language access.