Improving the Accessibility of Buildings for People with
Disabilities
Accessibility News
U.S. Access Board Advisory Committee
presents recommendations on courthouse access
Promoting Justice for All Through Accessible Design
By: Kimberly Paarlberg
The sixth and seventh amendments to the Bill of Rights guarantee
all Americans the right to a public trial and a trial by a
jury. In order to guarantee persons with disabilities the
same rights, it is important that courtrooms be accessible.
A courtroom is a unique space. Historically the judge's bench
is raised reasons of decorum. This locates the seated judge
so that they are at or above the eye level of the lawyer.
With the interaction between the judge and court staff, and
the important lines of site between participants, this often
results in other portions of the court being raised. Accessibility
to all those raised platforms can be a challenge for a designer.
The earlier that accessibility is incorporated into the design,
the easier and more cost effective providing that access will
be.
The Access Board had developed minimum requirements for accessibility
within a courtroom. The requirements included access to the
seating gallery, jury box, witness box and the well/main floor
of the court. Vertical access between the main floor level
and the raised court employee stations and the judge's bench
must be planned for, but may be installed at a later date.
All courtrooms must have assisted listening systems.
Two years ago, the Access Board organized the Courthouse Access
Advisory Committee to promote accessibility in the design
of court facilities. The committee presented its recommendations
to the Board on November 15, 2006. This report provides design
guidance and best practice recommendations to achieve access
in courthouses, including courtrooms. The report also includes
educational strategies for disseminating this information
to a variety of audiences. While focused on the design for
new facilities, the report can also be used as a resource
in the retrofit of existing facilities. To access the report
please visit http://www.access-board.gov/caac/report.htm.
The 35 member committee included courthouse architects, disability
groups, members of the judiciary, court administrators, representative
of the code community, and governmental agencies. The committee
toured courthouse facilities in Phoenix, Chicago, San Francisco,
Miami, Boston and Washington D.C. These tours provided valuable
insight for the committee. Three subcommittees, Courtroom,
Courthouse (other than the courtrooms) and Education, met
quarterly in person as well as participated in numerous conference
calls to develop their reports. Recommendations also include
sample plans.
In order to double check that their recommendations would
actually work, four full-size mock-ups were organized by GSA
and the Administrative Offices of the U.S. Courts (AOC). The
Access Board and Courthouse Committee were able to tour two
versions of the mock-up. Two more mock-ups were constructed
in December. These mock-ups are based on the committee recommendations.
To see information on the mock-up, visit http://www.access-board.gov/caac/mock-up.htm.
David Bibbs, Access Board Chair, believes
that the Courthouse Committee Report will be a positive
influence for the next generation of courthouse design
by demonstrating how access for all users can be easily
met. "I am confident, thanks to the work of this
Committee, that future courthouses will fulfill the promise
that justice for all also means access for all,"
noted Bibbs.
