NEWS RELEASES

For Immediate Release
Contact: Matt Silverman, Senior Director of Communications
Phone: (602) 340-7226

PHOENIX – July 26, 2005 – For some people, “access to justice” is measured by how easily they can get into and through the courthouse. When you’re a person with a physical disability that may not always be easy. That’s why a State Bar of Arizona committee is releasing a report that evaluates accessibility for 39 different courthouses statewide.

The report is the result of almost two years of on-site surveying. The State Bar of Arizona’s Committee on Persons with Disabilities in the Legal Profession sent teams of three to five people to city, state, federal and tribal courthouses across Arizona. Many teams included a person with a disability. The teams walked through the facilities, took digital photos and wrote detailed reports on the accommodations present for people with disabilities.

The purpose of each site visit was to identify innovations in accessibility, make suggestions for improvement and then share those ideas with the presiding judges and courthouse administrators of Arizona courthouses. The teams looked for modifications such as decreased pull tension on non- automated doors, wing handles on sink faucets, appropriate signage, ramps, and space to accommodate wheelchairs.

The 400+ page report is available on the State Bar’s Web site, www.azbar.org. The report is being released on July 26, 2005 the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The chair of the State Bar of Arizona’s Committee on Persons with Disabilities in the Legal Profession is Tucson Attorney Sally Simmons. Arizona Supreme Court Justice Michael Ryan is the vice-chair. Phoenix Attorney James Reed is chair of the subcommittee in charge of the courthouse survey.

About the State Bar
The State Bar of Arizona is a non-profit organization that operates under the supervision of the Arizona Supreme Court. The Bar regulates approximately 13,000 active attorneys in Arizona and provides education and development programs for the legal profession and the public. The Bar and its members are committed to serving the public by making sure the voices of all people in Arizona are heard in our justice system.

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