Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted by Congress in 1990 to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in access to employment, governmental services and programs, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. As stated in the law, the ADA is "an Act to establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability."

	Proclamation In Re: Twentieth Anniversary of the ADA
	Model ADA Accommodation Request Form
	Revised Rule of Judicial Administration 2.540

Court ADA Accommodations and Grievance Procedure Information

• Model ADA Accommodation Request Go to the Form
• Directory of Florida Courts ADA Coordinators
  View as RTF or PDF File
  Revised 02/07/12
• Links to ADA Information on Trial and Appellate Court Websites
  Go to the links list now!
• State Courts System Grievance Procedure
• Grievance Procedure (Designation of Responsible Person and Internal Grievance Procedure for the Supreme Court and State Courts System)
• State Courts System Grievance Complaint
• Grievance Complaint Form (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Statement of Grievance)
  

State Courts System ADA Guidelines

These guidelines have been developed to assist judges and staff in implementing the ADA in the court system.

The Title I Guidelines were prepared to assist elected officials, nonjudicial officers, and supervisors in ensuring compliance with the employment provisions of the ADA. Included are a practical summary of Title I, an overview of the legal obligations in recruiting practices and the interview process, and available references and resources.

The Title II Guidelines were prepared to assist judicial officers and courthouse personnel in understanding the state and local government provisions of the ADA and to assist them in ensuring that architectural or communication barriers do not obstruct any person's access to the courts. Included are a practical summary of Title II, an overview of accessibility requirements, and guidance on determining appropriate accommodations.

• Rule of Judicial Administration 2.540
• Tips For Planning Accessible Meetings

Electronic Accessibility

Creating Accessible Documents Using Microsoft Word
Open the document now!

Court Facility Survey Initiative, 2006-08

Access to the Florida Courts: Identifying and Eliminating Architectural Barriers View as Word or PDF File
Justice R. Fred Lewis speaks about the importance of ensuring that courthouses are accessible to persons with disabilities.  Nearly 400 people attended the regional training sessions, which were designed to prepare participants for surveying the accessibility of court facilities across the state. See the video or read the transcript.

Additional ADA Information

The ADA is organized into five titles that provide definitions and prohibitions of disability within a specific arena:

• Title I applies to employment and provides protection for qualified applicants and employees, including judges and court staff.
• Title II applies to programs and services of state and local governments, including the judicial branch. Title II provides that "subject to the provisions of this title, no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity."
• Title III applies to public accommodations and services operated by private entities. Examples include attorneys, mediators, physicians, hotels, transportation services, restaurants, stores, airlines, and shopping malls.
• Title IV applies to telecommunications.
• Title V contains miscellaneous provisions.

Other Links

• U.S. Dept. of Justice ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Government
• U.S. Access Board Courthouse Accessibility Advisory Committee
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) http://askjan.org/ - A service provided by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, JAN provides free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
• ADA National Network http://adata.org/Static/Home.aspx - Funded through DBTAC grants from U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, this site provides information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act, tailored to meet the needs of business, government, and individuals.
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
• Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• The State Courts System has established a “Florida Courts ADA Information” page on Facebook