[blindlaw] Issues in attending court proceedings aloneas blindattorney?

Tue Nov 24 03:29:05 UTC 2009

Thanks for the comments from everybody.

I agree with Ross that for a trial, a pair of eyes is the best; however, for 
preliminary hearings, bail reduction types of appearances, I am searching 
for an alternative to a good pair of eyes. I am definitely going to look 
into the small scanners.

Rod Alcidonis
Attorney and Counselor at Law
Philadelphia, PA
Licensed in PA -- NJ pending
C. 718-704-4651
Attorney at alcidonislaw.com
"A lawyer is either a social engineer or a parasite." - Charles Hamilton 
Houston

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Nightingale, Noel" <Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov>
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 6:47 PM
To: "'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Issues in attending court proceedings aloneasblindattorney?> This month's Straight Talk About vision Loss episode, episode 28, is about 
the Intel Reader, which sounds like technology that would be useful in the 
courtroom situation you described.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Patti chang
> Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 3:22 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Issues in attending court proceedings alone as 
> blindattorney?
>
> I use a K-NFBI Reader.
>
> Patti Gregory-Chang
> President, NFBI
> Sent from my KNFB mobile.
>
> -original message-
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Issues in attending court proceedings alone as 
> blindattorney?
> From: "Ford, Tim (CDPH-OLS)" <Tim.Ford at cdph.ca.gov>
> Date: 11/23/2009 11:24 AM
>
> If you will be going to court hearings by yourself, at a minimum I suggest 
> you have a laptop with scanning software, and take one of those very 
> little flatbed scanners.  I think they are only about $60 or less, and 
> they work fine.  The one I have, which is actually several years old, 
> works strictly off of the USB cord, so you do not need to find a power 
> plug.  The unit is only an inch think, and weighs a pound or less.
> It is great for the situations you describe.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Rod Alcidonis
> Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 12:52 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
> Subject: [blindlaw] Issues in attending court proceedings alone as 
> blindattorney?
>
> An angle of this question has once been discussed here; however, I am 
> interested in some more precise issues or possible situations that I have 
> been thinking about.
>
> Assuming going to court was only to deal with one's case file and make 
> arguments, sign a few papers here and there, I do not think there would be 
> any problems for a blind attorney to participate in court proceedings 
> without a sighted assistant. I know of several blind attorneys who go to 
> court with an assistant, and some on here I think, who do not. For those 
> of you who do not, how do you guys go about handling such situations:
>
> where an opposing counsel brings you documents in the morning of the 
> hearing at the court house which you have to review for a hearing that 
> day, that afternoon, or an hour later? Or, the judge makes an order, which 
> you have to review at the courthouse for an afternoon hearing? Or, the 
> opposing party, not counsel, brings a document to court on the day of the 
> hearing and you are given a copy?
>
> Assuming one does not have an NFB Reader, what have you guys done or what 
> would you do in such situations? Would you ask for an extension of time? 
> Reschedule the hearing (some courts would push your next date months down 
> the line).
>
> I know the ADA covers courthouses, but what types of accommodations have 
> you guys been able to receive? Getting the clerk to save orders on thumb 
> drives? Getting clerks to e-mail stuff, or save them on electronic 
> devices?
>
> I know this is a lot and the best answer would be to get an assistant, but 
> this is not an option at the moment. Thanks for all of the suggestions in 
> advance.
>
> Rod Alcidonis
> Attorney and Counselor at Law
> Philadelphia, PA
> Licensed in PA -- NJ Oath pending
> C. 718-704-4651
> Attorney at alcidonislaw.com
> "A lawyer is either a social engineer or a parasite." - Charles Hamilton 
> Houston _______________________________________________
> blindlaw mailing list
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindlaw:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tim.ford%40cdp
> h.ca.gov
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindlaw mailing list
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> blindlaw:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindlaw mailing list
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> blindlaw:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/noel.nightingale%40ed.gov
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindlaw mailing list
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> blindlaw:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/attorney%40alcidonislaw.com 