A Meaningful Opportunity to Participate
A Handbook for Georgia Court Officials on Courtroom Accessibility
for Individuals with Disabilities
A Handbook for Georgia Court Officials on Courtroom Accessibility
for Individuals with Disabilities
PART II:
Interacting With Persons With Disabilities
Page 1 of 3
The most important thing Georgia court officials can do in their day-to-day interactions with people with disabilities is to treat individuals with disabilities with the same courtesy, dignity and respect that you afford everyone else. There is no need to be nervous or apprehensive in talking and working with people with disabilities.
A person with a disability may be able to access every feature in a courtroom but may be left out of court activities if court personnel exhibit negative or unhelpful attitudes to simple accommodation requests or requests for information. Eliminating these attitudinal barriers can help ensure that people with disabilities have full access to Georgia courts.
The Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts has developed a reference guide for court officials when interacting with people with disabilities. Some tips from the guide are:
Don't make assumptions about the person or the disability.
Always speak directly to the person with a disability, not to a companion, assistant or sign language interpreter. Speak in your normal tone and do not raise your voice unless requested.
If the person doesn't understand you, try again. Don't become anxious if you have to make repeated attempts at listening or speaking to ensure effective communication.
Do not assume that a person with a disability needs help. If someone looks in need of help, it is always appropriate to offer assistance with sensitivity. If your offer to assist is accepted, listen or ask for instructions before you act. Do not let it bother you if someone refuses your offer of assistance.
Generally, assistance with doors is greatly appreciated as long as you are clear of the path of travel.
Familiarize yourself with the court's accessibility features and accommodation protocol. When people with disabilities ask for accommodations, they are not complaining. Rather, they are asking for what they believe necessary to fully and equally participate in that particular court activity, service or program.
Respond courteously to all accommodation requests and be sure to promptly direct the request to appropriate personnel who can assist.
Not all disabilities are apparent. Because of the stigma associated with certain disabilities, people may be reluctant to disclose a disability or ask for an accommodation. If someone looks as though he or she may not understand you, do not ask them if they have a disability. Instead, ask in a respectful way if there is an alternative method for facilitating communication.
Special Considerations for Judges in the Courtroom
Judges are the embodiment of justice. Everyone looks to the court to ensure full and effective participation for people with disabilities. Top-level leadership and commitment are essential in developing an environment where access is not only a requirement but an expectation for all citizens.
Judges should carefully evaluate requests for accommodation made by people with disabilities appearing in the courtroom. Although the court makes the final decision regarding the most appropriate accommodation for each particular situation, allow yourself to be educated by people about their disabilities. The individuals have experience and information regarding their disabilities and are usually able to suggest the best way to accommodate their needs.
Use person-first language. Put the person ahead of the disability in order to communicate your recognition that the person's disability is not the most important part of the person's identity. For example, it is more polite to say "the juror with a disability" than "the disabled juror" or "the handicapped juror."
Train your staff, including the bailiffs, to be sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities. Patience and flexibility are important because, just as with most other citizens, many people with disabilities will not be familiar with the procedures and practices of your court.
In verbal and written communication, use person-first language consistently. Person-first language recognizes that a person's disability is not the most important part of that person's identity.
Using person-first language is an effort to be polite and sensitive and not an attempt to restrict the use of language.
Put the person ahead of the identifier of the disability in a given sentence. For example, saying "people with disabilities" is more appropriate, thoughtful and sensitive than saying "disabled people."
Avoid language that is insulting or dehumanizing. Words like "crippled," "deaf-mute" and "deformed" while once commonly used are now considered offensive when applied to individuals with disabilities.
To avoid repetitive usage in long documents, switch around the order of words that appear frequently on one page. For example, consider using "Georgians with disabilities" or "juror with a disability" but keep the person-first pattern consistent.
© Georgia Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts, December 2004
This website best viewed in Internet Explorer 5 or later.
