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St. Landry courthouse violates Americans with Disabilities Act, woman says
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ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- A woman told a federal court Monday that the St. Landry Parish courthouse is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), saying the courthouse needs to make a greater attempt to make the facility more accessible for people with mobility-related disabilities.
Annette Tyler, who has paraplegia due to a spinal chord injury and uses a wheelchair, said the courthouse has mobility-related barriers that prevent her from access to the services, programs and activities at the courthouse, such as participating in jury duty.
Tyler said in her lawsuit that she notified the Clerk of Court office last September, via a written letter, of multiple ADA violations at the courthouse and requested that they be fixed. Some of those alleged violations include service counters being more than 36 inches from the floor, not enough designated-accessible parking spaces, and jury boxes that are not accessible to wheelchair users.
The clerk of court purportedly forwarded her letter to Parish President Jessie Bellard, she said, but since then she has not received a response from the parish.
Andrew Bizer, an attorney representing Tyler, said that although the courthouse has added a wheelchair ramp, the courthouse needs to make additional changes to make the facility more wheelchair accessible.
"There are many different aspects of the courthouse that makes it difficult, if not unable, for people in wheelchairs to participate in what goes on at the courthouse," he said.
"The jury boxes are all located up a step or two and also have chairs that are bolted to the ground, preventing folks with disabilities from participating in a jury. Same thing with the witness stands, service counters that are too high, and there's some parking issues as well," he continued.
He said because the ADA was passed many years ago, such modifications should have already been made.
"This lawsuit, unfortunately, is necessary to make sure that more than just the ramp is built at the courthouse, which serves the citizenry, serves all of the citizenry," he said.
View a copy of the lawsuit below:
Tyler vs St. Landry Parish by eenfinger on Scribd