Fairness Commission: Courts must do more for the disabled.

While Florida's courts have made great strides in providing staff assistance and facility accessibility to the disabled, when it comes to more complex accommodations -- such as providing sign language interpreters or real-time reporters -- there is still much to be done.

Those are the findings of a new study about jury accessibility for the elderly and persons with disabilities compiled by the Supreme Court Commission on Fairness and Florida International University.

"Fairness is at the very core of the justice system, and it is critical that all participants in the system embrace diversity and equality for all citizens to ensure that fairness," Chief Justice Major B. Harding said in releasing the study. He also designated the year 2000 as a time of commemoration in Florida's courts for the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"It will be a year spent reflecting on where we have been, and it will be a year spent studying where we must go to make our courts truly accessible to more than 1.2 million Floridians who have disabilities."

By proclaiming a "Year of Commemoration," Harding said he hopes to encourage efforts to ensure that the spirit of the ADA is honored throughout the court system. The Chief Justice also has asked the state's courts to evaluate themselves for ADA compliance so that shortcomings can be identified and funding sought to eliminate them.

"The Supreme Court is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act," Harding said.

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires courts to provide access to jury service by making reasonable changes in policies, practices, and procedures to accommodate the disabled.

The goals of the jury accessibility study -- funded in part by a grant from the Florida Bar Foundation -- were to determine the accessibility of jury service for older citizens and those with disabilities and recommend steps to enhance the accessibility of jury service.

The report found that, overall, the Florida courts generally appear aware of and are sensitive to disability issues, and a vast majority of the courts have assigned a staff member to function as an ADA coordinator. The report also found that all of Florida's courts have policies and Procedures in place for identifying cases requiring reasonable accommodations under the ADA.

The study said that while "a large majority" of the courts are capable of accommodating the disabled through the provision of staff...