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Communication Disabilities

Pursuant to the policy of the Judicial Conference, the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota has adopted the following procedures to be followed when providing services to persons with communications disabilities.

“Each federal court is required to provide, at judiciary expense, sign language interpreters or other appropriate auxiliary aids and services to participants in federal court proceedings who are deaf, hearing-impaired, or have other communications disabilities.”

The court will also provide a sign language interpreter or other appropriate auxiliary aid or service to a qualified juror with a communication disability.

If you are a participant in a court proceeding and you believe you will require assistive listening technology, access to CART (Communications Access Real-time Translation) or an American Sign Language interpreter, please contact the Judge’s courtroom deputy. Advance notice is appreciated.

If you have been called for jury duty and believe you will require assistive listening technology, access to CART (Communications Access Real-time Translation) or an American Sign Language interpreter, please contact the jury coordinator where you will be reporting for jury duty. Advance notice is appreciated.

 

Telephone Access for the Hearing and/or Speech Impaired

Please contact Minnesota Relay for free, federally mandated Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) program that allows individuals who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or speech disabled to place and receive telephone calls.

Access Coordinators

The courtroom deputies and jury coordinators have been designated as access coordinators. Coordinators will have working knowledge of the types of auxiliary aids and services available to serve the needs of disabled persons and of the local sources from which auxiliary aids and services (including real time reporting) may be procured.

Individuals seeking assistance should contact the coordinator as far in advance as possible of the court proceeding involved. Contact may be made by phone, fax, in writing, e-mail, or in person.