[nfbmi-talk] Supreme Court to swear in deaf lawyers

[Christine Boone]

 Wow Terry, this is pretty cool.  
I wonder how long it will be before a deaf lawyer actually brings a case before the Court.  It is nice to see the court being so open to doing the right thing:). 
Hugs to you, 
Christine
 
Boone Christine Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 12, 2016, at 3:44 PM, Terry D. Eagle via nfbmi-talk <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

Supreme Court to swear in large group of deaf lawyers 

Sam Hananel, Associated Press 

Washington DC 



'Mobile phones ordinarily are strictly forbidden in the

marble courtroom of the nation's highest court, but the justices are making
an exception next week when roughly a dozen deaf and hard-of-hearing lawyers

will be admitted to the Supreme Court bar. The lawyers will use their phones
to see a real-time transcript as they take part in an April 19 swearing-in

ceremony featuring the largest group of hearing-impaired attorneys ever
admitted at one time to practice before the high court. Advocates for deaf
lawyers

say they hope the event will encourage others with disabilities to pursue
legal careers. 'We wanted to do an event that would help break down
stereotypes

and demonstrate clearly that deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals can
achieve anything they set their minds to,' said Anat Maytal, a New York
lawyer and

president of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association. Nearly 4,000
lawyers join the Supreme Court bar each year, though the vast majority will
never

actually represent a client there. Membership requires a $200 fee,
membership in a state bar for three years and sponsorship by two current
Supreme Court

bar members. Still, it's considered an honor to stand before the justices
and be welcomed in person by Chief Justice John Roberts. Maytal says her
group

spent weeks working with court officials to set up the unique arrangements
for the ceremony. Two sign language interpreters will be in the courtroom
and

a special court reporter will be there to offer real-time captions that
hearing-impaired lawyers can see on cell phones or other electronic devices.
It's

a big exception to the rules for a court that is famously slow to adapt to
new technology and requires everyone participating in or watching arguments

to leave electronic devices outside the courtroom. Maytal said the court set
up a special wireless connection limited only to those participating in the

ceremony. The phones can't be used for any other purpose and no photography
will be allowed. 'The very fact that the Supreme Court will be admitting a

group of deaf and hard-of-hearing lawyers shows tremendous progress,' Maytal
said. 'We hope that this event signals to everyone that deaf and
hard-of-hearing

attorneys are capable of succeeding at the highest levels of the profession
just like everyone else. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m., followed

by arguments in two cases. Maytal estimates that there are fewer than 300
deaf or hard-of-hearing practicing lawyers nationwide. She said many face
obstacles

in getting the accommodations they need to attend law school, take the bar
exam, or practice in courthouses. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All
rights

reserved. 

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