Legal Question in Criminal Law in Pennsylvania

Re: magistrate papers served in English to non--English speakers

Unless that other language is Spanish no. Even then its not guaranteed that will happen.

A minor should be in school and should be learning English. So he should have some idea of the charges.

They do have the right to ask for someone to translate for them but depending on what the language is and where they are will have an effect on how likely that is to happen. Clearly it would be more likely that a translator would be available in Philadelphia than say Jim Thorpe. The other factor is how common the language they need is. Something like French is easier to find. Most high schools teach French as opposed to say an obscure dialect of an uncommon language.

One might ask what language they would expect to be used in the US? Hypothetically if I was in their home country would I have the right to have the charges translated to English?

Sorry if I sound cold and heartless but my grandparents were immigrants too. Fortunately my grandfather spoke 5 languages.