Overview
The District of Columbia Courts are committed to equal access for people with disabilities. If you have a disability and need help to participate in a court case, program, or service, you can ask for a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What is a Disability Accommodation?
A disability accommodation helps you fully take part in court activities.
Examples include:
A sign language interpreter
Real-time captioning (CART)
Assistive listening devices
Documents in large print or accessible electronic format
Permission to bring a service animal
Extra time or breaks during a hearing
Access to wheelchair-accessible spaces
Help completing forms if you have a visual or cognitive disability
If you are not sure what to request, the ADA Coordinator can help you think through options.
How to Request an Accommodation
To request an accommodation:
Fill out the ADA Accommodation Request Form online.
If you cannot complete the online form, contact the ADA Coordinator directly (see contact information below).
- There is no cost to request a disability accommodation.
Submit your request as soon as you know you need one – at least 2 weeks before your hearing if possible. If you have an emergency or short notice hearing, contact the ADA Coordinator directly.
Requests That Affect Your Case or Court Schedule
Some requests can be approved directly by the ADA Coordinator, such as:
- Captioning for hearings
- Assistive listening devices
- Accessible documents
Other requests must be decided by a judge because they affect how the judge manages the case. For example:
- Requests to appear remotely
- Extra time to file papers
- Changes to a hearing schedule
- Additional breaks during a hearing
To make an accommodation request to the judge:
- File a written motion or request explaining what accommodation you are asking for and how your disability affects your ability to participate without it
- Tell the judge at a hearing (if the issue comes up unexpectedly)
You generally do not need to disclose your medical diagnosis—only how the accommodation relates to your ability to participate.
What Happens After I Submit My Request?
After you ask for a disability accommodation, the ADA Coordinator will work with you through what is called an interactive process. During this process, the coordinator must gather enough information to decide whether a reasonable accommodation is required and, if so, what accommodation will be effective.
The ADA Coordinator will review:
Whether the request relates to a disability as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)—a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Whether the request will help remove the barrier
Whether the request is reasonable in a court setting
Whether the request would fundamentally alter a court service or proceeding, or create an undue administrative or financial burden
If you submitted a request to the judge, the judge will review it and may reach out to the Coordinator if more information is needed.
After the interactive process is complete, you will be told whether your request is:
Approved
Modified (with an explanation)
Referred to a judge for decision
If your request is denied or you believe your needs were not met, you may file a grievance (see details below).
As part of the Judiciary Square Master Plan, we looked at all court buildings and planned changes based on needs and funding. Every renovation includes steps to improve accessibility.
Making Courtrooms Accessible
Courtrooms can be hard to change because of raised areas like the judge’s bench or jury box. These raised areas can be a barrier for people with mobility issues. We’ve made many courtrooms more accessible by adding:
- Wheelchair-accessible jury and witness boxes
- Lowered clerk’s stations
- Accessible podiums and benches
- Accessible counsel tables
- Jury rooms that can be used by people in wheelchairs
- Spectator seating that includes wheelchair space
- Better lighting and sound systems
Public Areas
Many parts of our court buildings have also been updated to make them easier for everyone to use. These include:
- Jury waiting rooms
- Entrances and doorways
- Water fountains
- Restrooms
- Elevator buttons and signs
- Customer service counters
- Signs with clear lettering or Braille
- Emergency communication systems
- Waiting areas
- Fire alarms with visual alerts
All court buildings are wheelchair accessible.
- Some have more than one accessible entrance for the public.
- Courtrooms have accessible spaces like jury boxes, witness stands, and seating.
- Public areas like bathrooms, waiting rooms, and water fountains are also accessible.
Historic Courthouse
430 E Street, NW
Entrance is at 430 E Street, NW
Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue, NW
All entrances are accessible and they are located at 500 Indiana Avenue NW. Main entrance - court security staff can assist if needed.
The John Marshall Plaza/Family Court entrance and exit on the east side of the courthouse. Wheelchair accessible from C Street only due to the steps on the Indiana Avenue side of the plaza.
Court Building A
515 Fifth Street, NW
Main entrance is on 5th street. Accessible entrances are on the E and F Street sides of the building.
Court Building B
510 Fourth Street, NW
Main entrance is on 4th Street. Accessible entrance is on F Street side of the building.
Court Building C
410 E Street, NW
The accessible entrance is located on the E Street side of the courthouse adjacent to (and under) the steps to the public entrance. An alternate accessible entrance is located on the Indiana Avenue (or south) side which may be more convenient for persons coming from the Moultrie Courthouse.
Gallery Place Offices
616 H Street, NW, Sixth Floor
Accessible entrance is on Seventh Street side of the building.
Use of Segways and Other Mobility Devices
People with mobility disabilities may use mobility devices in public areas of the DC Courts.
Wheelchairs and manually powered devices
You may use:
Wheelchairs (manual or power-driven)
Manually powered mobility aids, such as walkers, crutches, canes, braces, or similar devices
Segways and other powered devices
Some people with mobility disabilities use devices such as Segways® or similar devices. The Courts allow power-driven devices in public courthouse areas unless the device cannot be used safely under the Courts’ legitimate safety rules.
If you use a power-driven device, you must:
Operate it safely at all times
Use a safe speed for the area
Questions about disability
The Courts do not ask people using a wheelchair or power-driven device about the nature or extent of their disability. However, if you use a power-driven device, the Courts may ask for credible assurance that the device is needed because of a mobility disability.
Credible assurance (proof)
The Courts accept:
A valid, state-issued disability parking placard or card, or
Other state-issued proof of disability
If you do not have written proof, the Courts will also accept:
A verbal statement that the mobility device is being used for a mobility disability, as long as it is not contradicted by observable facts
A disability placard or card is valid if:
It is shown by the person it was issued to, and
It follows the issuing state’s rules
DC Courts welcome people who use service animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We also welcome service animals-in-training, as allowed by DC law.
Please note: Comfort or emotional support animals are not considered service animals under the law.
We work hard to make our website easy to use for everyone. If you find something that doesn't work for you, email us at ADACoordinator [at] dcsc.gov.
We welcome your feedback!
The DC Relay Service helps people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities talk to people who use a regular phone.
Here’s how it works:
- The person using a TTY (a text telephone) types their message.
- A trained Communications Assistant reads the message out loud to the hearing person on the phone.
- The Assistant then types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user.
The DC Relay Service also has Communications Assistants who are bilingual (Spanish).
All calls are private. Communications Assistants are trained and follow strict rules to keep all conversations confidential.
Contact Information
To use the relay service, dial 711.
English
(800) 643-3769 (voice)
(202) 855-1000 (voice)
(800) 643-3768 (TTY)
(202) 855-1234 (TTY)
Spanish
(800) 546-7111 (TTY)
(800) 546-5111 (TTY)
Employees and Job Applicants
Employees and job applicants can ask for help to do their jobs or apply for one
Use the ADA request form or email the ADA Coordinator at ADACoordinator [at] dcsc.gov.