[blindlaw] advice

Katy Carroll kc2992a at student.american.edu
Tue Mar 23 20:41:22 UTC 2010


Hi all,

I really appreciate all of your responses to my question. I am one of those
people who uses a cane only sometimes, because I don't have to. Therefore, I
have come into situation when I have had my cane with me and people have
commented that I don't act like I am blind, so why do I need to carry a
cane; and also situations in which I didn't have my cane and was unable to
explain that there was something I couldn't see and why.

Scott, I appreciate your foresight about what life will be like working in a
courtroom. I echo the question about how you approach a new judge.

Best,
Kate

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 11:47 PM, RJ Sandefur <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com
> wrote:

> Scott, How do you deal with a new Judge? Do you walk into the courtroom,
> and explaine to the judge you're blind, and need this or that? How do you do
> it? This sighted judge has never delbt with a blind lawyer before.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott C. LaBarre" <
> slabarre at labarrelaw.com>
>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 1:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] advice
>
>
> Katy, I am totally blind and have been so pretty much since the time I lost
> my sight.  Therefore, I cannot directly relate with you other than to say
> my
> wife is in a similar situation.  Sometimes, she carries her cane and
> sometimes not.  I have noticed that she usually does take her cane when we
> are going somewhere new and plan on meeting new people.  She finds it
> easier
> to explain that she is blind and has some residual vision than to deal with
> people thinking she is fully sighted and wondering why she isn't making the
> best eye contact or can't see the signs or can't read name tags or
> whatever.
> I think she also takes it because she wants to be able to use it in
> unfamiliar locations, especially at night and more especially to deal with
> stairs and other things she doesn't see too well.
>
> Ultimately, I guess it depends on which issue you'd rather have.  I think
> it
> also depends on why it is you choose not to carry a cane.  These are
> questions with which I cannot help you much.
>
> However, I can tell you that as an attorney, you are very likely going to
> be
> in situations that are pressure packed and move along quite quickly.  In a
> courtroom, do you want a Judge or jury wondering why you aren't exactly
> acting like the other lawyers in the room?  Would it be easier or harder to
> explain that you are legally blind  and that is  why you aren't able to
> read
> things or see objects or whatever?  Or would it be easier to  carry a cane
> alerting the judge and counsel that you are blind allowing you to explain
> later that you can see some.
>
> Now, I know you sent off your post not wondering whether you should carry a
> cane or not but rather asking the question of how  you should explain
> yourself.  I guess my first advice is to  speak with others who are
> similarly situated.  We have such blind lawyers on this list.  Charlie
> Brown, our First Vice President, has quite a bit of residual  vision yet
> has
> always carried a cane.  I am sure there are others who don't.
>
> I wish you luck with this dilemma and I hope we can be helpful.
> Thanks,
> Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.
>
> LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
> 1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
> Denver, Colorado 80222
> 303 504-5979 (voice)
> 303 757-3640 (fax)
> slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
> www.labarrelaw.com (website)
>
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> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Katy Carroll" <
> kc2992a at student.american.edu>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2010 2:37 PM
> Subject: [blindlaw] advice
>
>
>  Hi List!
>>
>> I have run numerous times into the same dilemma and I am convinced this
>> dilemma will become more and more of a problem as I move on in my career,
>> unless I do something about it, which is why i am posing this problem to
>> you:
>>
>> Recently I went to a meeting of a professional organization here in DC.
>> Not
>> surprisingly, each of the attendees were given name tags with one's name
>> and
>> either place of work or study to wear during the event, to help initiate
>> networking. I am partially blind, and don't feel the need to carry a cane
>> with me. However, I can't see other people;s name tags, and can't comment
>> or
>> respond to what is written on them. I would like to be able to ask people
>> who they are and where they work without seeming like I can't read. Has
>> anyone perfected a introduction by which they can do this?
>>
>> I would appreciate any thoughts.
>>
>> --
>> Kathryn CARROLL
>> American University
>> 631 521 3018
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
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-- 
Kathryn CARROLL
American University
631 521 3018



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