Americans With Disabilities
Court Information
Americans with Disabilities Act (Title II) Policy
The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania (UJS) complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which provides that “no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity”. 42 U.S.C.A. §12132. Pursuant to that requirement, if you are an individual with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to participate in any judicial proceeding or any other service, program, or activity of the UJS, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. The ADA does not require Erie County Court of Common Pleas to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.
Requesting Accommodation
If you require an accommodation under the ADA, it is recommended that you make your request as soon as possible or at least five (5) business days before your scheduled participation in any court proceeding or UJS program or activity. All requests for accommodation, regardless of timeliness, will be given due consideration and if necessary, may require an interactive process between the requestor and the Erie County Court of Common Pleas to determine the best course of action.
Assistance Completing the Form
If you need assistance completing this form, contact the ADA Coordinator. Complaints alleging violations of Title II under the ADA may be filed pursuant to the UJS Grievance Procedure with the Deputy Court Administrator. A response will be sent to you after careful review of the facts.
File a Complaint Under the Grievance Procedure
- Complete the complaint form (Appendix B) and return to Jennifer Rager, ADA Coordinator. Alternative means of filing complaints will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request. The complaint should be submitted as soon as possible but no later than sixty (60) calendar days after the alleged violation.
- Within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt of the complaint, the ADA Coordinator will investigate the complaint, including, meeting with the individual seeking an accommodation, either in person or via telephone, to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of the meeting, the ADA Coordinator will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, such as large print, Braille, or audio. The response will explain the position of the Erie County Court of Common Pleas and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.
- If the response to the complaint does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant may appeal the decision within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of the response to Robert J. Catalde, Esquire, District Court Administrator. Within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the District Court Administrator will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions. Within fifteen (15) calendar days after the meeting, the District Court Administrator will respond in writing, and, where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, with a final resolution of the complaint.
This grievance procedure is informal. An individual’s participation in this informal process is completely voluntary. Use of this grievance procedure is not a prerequisite to and does not preclude a complainant from pursuing other remedies available under law.
The UJS Policy on Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity also encompasses disability-related issues and provides complaint procedures for UJS court users. Any employment-related disability discrimination complaints will be governed by the UJS Policy on Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity.
