ADA Accommodations
How to Request ADA Accommodations
Applications requesting accommodations for a disability should be presented in writing on a Request for Accommodations by Persons with Disabilities and Response (Form MC-410) in person, by mail, or orally as the Court may allow. Applications may be made to the ADA Coordinator, Office of the Clerk, or courtroom clerk where the proceeding will take place.
All applications for accommodations must include a description of the accommodation sought, along with a statement of the impairment and an explanation why such accommodation is needed. The Court, in its discretion, may require the applicant to provide additional information about the qualifying impairment.
Request for accommodation should be made as far in advance as possible, no less than five court days prior to the date needed. The Court may, in its discretion, waive this requirement.
For further information about Form MC-410, please consult here: ADA Request Form Info
You must have a PDF reader such as Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to read the files marked with a PDF icon. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, download this free Adobe Software.
The Court recognizes that individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing are unable to participate in court proceedings and unable to benefit from court programs and services when they are not provided with appropriate auxiliary aids and services. Likewise, people who are blind or have low vision are unable to benefit from court services when printed materials are the only means of communication available.
A TDD line has been installed for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired. The access number is (415) 551-4001.
Questions related to all branches of the San Francisco Superior Court can be handled via this number.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available through the Court at no charge to the requesting party.
Assistive listening devices are available and may be obtained by contacting the courtroom clerk IN EACH DEPARTMENT.
Accessible Telephones:
Civic Center Courthouse: Every Floor
Hall of Justice: To The Right of the Metal Detectors
Juvenile Justice Center: 2nd and 3rd Floor Across from the Elevators
The Court will ensure that communications with individuals with disabilities are as effective as communications with others. The Court when possible, will provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services for people with disabilities (e.g., CART for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, qualified interpreters, computer-aided transcription services, assistive listening systems, written materials, audio recordings, computer disks, large print, and Braille materials) to ensure that individuals with disabilities will be able to participate in the complete range of court services and programs. The Court will give primary consideration to the type of auxiliary aid or services that individuals with disabilities request. The Court will make reasonable efforts to accommodate disability accommodation requests made less than five days before a hearing or other court appearance.
The Court’s list of certified CART providers is presented below:
Katherine Baca
110 Gardenside #502
SF, CA 94131
(415) 279-7195
Bacakitty@aol.com
Jane James
Captioning Agency Professionals (CAP)
6031 Girvin Drive
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 530-3989
captioning@earthlink.net
Laura Brewer
Laura Brewer & Associates
49 Lyell St.
Los Altos, CA 94022
(650) 949-1900
laura@quicktext.com
Teri Darrenougue
Laura Brewer & Associates
49 Lyell St.
Los Altos, CA 94022
(650) 949-1900
teriquicktext@gmail.com
Richard A. Walker
(510) 525-3327
rawalker@pacbell.net
Audrey Maloney
(415) 531-4502
audreymaloney@gmail.com
Captioning Online
14895 14th St.
San Leandro, CA 94577
(707) 476-8737
Jennifer.aggeler@dcara.org
CART
P.O. BOX 20278
Castro Valley, CA 94546
(510) 888-9825
Civic Center Courthouse
Joy Guandique
400 McAllister St., Room 205
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: (415) 551-5737
TDD: (415) 551-4001
Email: Joy Guandique
Website: https://www.sf.courts.ca.gov
Accessible telephones: Every floor
Hall of Justice
Rose Gonzalez
850 Bryant St., Room 101
San Francisco, CA 94103
Telephone: (415) 551-0656
TDD: (415) 551-4001
Email: Rose Gonzalez
Website: https://www.sf.courts.ca.gov
Polk Street (Community Justice Center)
Maria Batres
575 Polk St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: (415) 551-5939
TDD: (415) 551-4001
Email: Maria Batres
Website: https://www.sf.courts.ca.gov
Youth Guidance Center
Lisa Kong
375 Woodside Ave., Room 101
San Francisco, CA 94127
Telephone: (415) 682-5101
TDD: (415) 551-4001
Email: Lisa Kong
Website: https://www.sf.courts.ca.gov
Accessible telephones: 2nd and 3rd floors across from the elevators
Revised: December 2021
It is the policy of the San Francisco County Superior Court to assure that qualified individuals with disabilities have equal and full access to the judicial system. Court staff shall make every effort to assist individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in accordance with Rule 1.100 of the California Rules of Court (CRC).
Most requests for accommodations will be oral and should be easily and expeditiously provided. Complicated or extraordinary requests for accommodation may necessitate completion of form MC 410, Request for Accommodations by Persons with Disabilities and Order. The Interactive Process is an ongoing dialogue between the individuals with disabilities requesting accommodation(s) and the appropriate ADA coordinator within the Court about possible options for reasonably accommodating an individual with a disability. This process includes ascertaining the individual’s limitations and determining how they could be overcome with a reasonable accommodation, as well as identifying potential accommodations and assessing their effectiveness. Both the individual and the Court are required to participate in this process in good faith.
The Court will promptly inform the applicant of the determination to grant or deny an accommodation request. If the accommodation request is denied in whole or in part, the response will be in writing and the reason(s) will be provided in writing to the individual requesting the accommodation. Upon the request of the applicant, the Court may also provide an additional response in an alternative format. The response to the applicant will indicate whether the request for accommodation is granted or denied, in whole or in part, or an alternative accommodation is granted.
It shall be the responsibility of each court employee to familiarize themselves with CRC Rule 1.100, the use of Form MC 410 and established court procedures for processing request for accommodations.*
Grievances and Appeals: If the Court denies your request for accommodation, you have 10 days from the date your request was denied to appeal the Court’s decision. You must follow the procedures in California Rule of Court rule 1.100(g). If your request was denied by a Judge or Commissioner, you must file a petition for writ of mandate in the appropriate reviewing court under California Rules of Court rules 8.485-8.493 or 8.930-8.936. If your request was denied by any other Court staff, you must submit a written request for review under California Rules of Court rule 1.100(g). Please submit appeals to the ADA Coordinator. If you believe that the Court has otherwise discriminated against anyone on the basis of disability, you can follow the Court’s Grievance Procedure for Disability Discrimination Complaints.
| Agency Name | Phone Number | Services For |
|---|---|---|
|
Independent Living |
(415) 543-6222 |
All Disabilities
|
|
Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency (DCARA), San Leandro |
(510) 483-0753 |
Deaf Persons
|
|
Law Center for the Deaf |
(510) 483-0922 |
Deaf Persons
|
|
AIDS Legal Referral Panel |
(415) 701-1100 |
Persons with HIV
|
|
Family Caregiver Alliance |
(415) 434-3388 |
For families and caregivers of persons with disabilities
|
|
Employment Law Center, Legal Aid Society |
(415) 864-8848 |
Employment Issues for persons with Mental Health Issues. Ask for Claudia Center
|
|
Golden Gate Regional Center |
(415) 546-9222 |
Persons with Developmental Disabilities. Must be a client or eligible for assessment with the center.
|
|
Legal Assistance to the Elderly |
(415) 538=3333 |
Elderly Persons
|
|
Legal Services |
(415) 863-3762 |
Family Law Issues Legal Services for:
|
|
Bay Area Legal Aid |
(415) 982-1300 |
General Legal Questions Counseling & legal representation
|
To assure equal access, fair treatment, and the just and efficient resolution of disputes for all people asserting their rights under the law.
We will be happy to help you if we can. However, we are allowed to help you only in certain ways since we want to be fair to everyone. This is a list of some things the court staff can and cannot do for you.
| We Can | We Cannot |
|---|---|
|
explain and answer the questions about how the court works. |
tell you whether or not you should bring your case to court. |
|
provide you the number of the local lawyer referral service, legal aid program and other services where you can get legal advice. |
tell what words to use in your court papers. However, we will check your papers for completeness. For example, we check for signatures, notarization, correct county name, correct case number and presence of attachments. |
|
give you general information about court rules, procedures and practices. |
tell you what to say in court. |
|
provide court schedules and information on how to get a case scheduled. |
give you an opinion about what will happen if you bring your case to court. |
|
give you information from your case file. |
talk to the Judge for you. |
|
provide you with court forms that are available, |
let you talk to the judge outside of Court. |
|
usually answer questions about court deadlines and how to compute them. |
change an order signed by a Judge. |
Court staff do not know the answers to all questions about court rules, procedures and practices. We have been instructed not to answer questions if we do not know the correct answer. For additional information, please contact a lawyer or your local law library, or check the California Courts Self-Help Center