[blindLaw] Strategies for Trial Advocacy

[Julie McGinnity]

Hi everyone,

This semester I am taking a civil trial advocacy class in law school.
It's fascinating, but I'm dealing with a lot of accessibility
challenges. How do you deal with inaccessible evidence, such as photos
and diagrams? In addition, how do you handle using notes in court? I
have been using my Braille Note Touch for everything, and it's working
well enough. But I would be open to better ideas from Braille readers
who use Braille at trials. Any other trial advice is totally welcome.
I am doing the best I can and know my facts up and down. I have to
admit though that the volume of inaccessible evidence, inaccessible
presentation using screens, and the focus on visual aids is getting me
down a little.

Have any of you done jury trials? How have they gone for you as a
blind person? Or has your blindness never been an issue? Maybe I am
reading too much into this, but our course is teaching us that
presentation is everything. I'm a performer, and I'm comfortable
navigating a space, speaking in front of people, and looking confident
in tense situations. At the same time, I suppose I am concerned that
as a blind person I may be underestimated or juries wouldn't take me
seriously.

Thanks for any thoughts and recommendations,

Julie

-- 
Julie A. McGinnity
MM Vocal Performance, 2015; American University Washington College of
Law, JD Candidate 2023