Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Disability Justice Task Force Launches Website, Survey on Court Accessibility to Come in December

As part of its ongoing work, the Washington State Disability Justice Task Force (DJTF) has launched a new website and is preparing to launch a comprehensive survey in December that will provide valuable insights into these challenges and help guide future recommendations throughout Washington State Courts.

The website will serve as a central hub for individuals to access resources, updates on the task force’s work, and the survey itself. It will be an important platform for engaging with courts, legal professionals and individuals with disabilities.

The Washington State Supreme Court established the task force to address barriers preventing individuals with disabilities from fully accessing justice in Washington courts. As part of these ongoing efforts, the upcoming Disability Justice survey will play a key role in gathering data on the challenges individuals with disabilities face within the court system.

“We are launching this survey to better understand the challenges individuals with disabilities face in accessing justice,” said Justice G. Helen Whitener, co-chair of the DJTF. “Our goal is to ensure that Washington courts are fully accessible for all.”

The Disability Justice survey will be available through the DJTF’s new website and distributed via state agencies. It will focus on areas such as:

• Physical access to court facilities.
• Digital and programmatic accessibility, including General Rule 33.
• Barriers to self-representation in non-criminal cases.
• Violence against individuals with disabilities.
• Cultural factors and disability-related issues in incarceration.

The survey is intended for courts, legal professionals, individuals with disabilities and state agencies. Participants will receive a letter and a memorandum of understanding, outlining the survey’s purpose. 

The results will be compiled into a report with recommendations to the Washington Supreme Court, focusing on both immediate and long-term improvements. The DJTF has hired KMG Consulting Firm to lead the study and data collection efforts. This team will analyze the barriers faced by individuals with disabilities in the justice system and provide insights that will shape the task force’s future recommendations.

For more information about the DJTF, the website launch or the upcoming survey, please contact: Joslyn Nelson, Senior Court Program Analyst, Joslyn.nelson@courts.wa.gov.

The Disability Justice Task Force was established by the Washington State Supreme Court to address barriers preventing individuals with disabilities from fully accessing justice in Washington courts. Committed to making the courts more accessible, inclusive, and equitable, the DJTF works to identify and eliminate structural and cultural obstacles that hinder access to justice for people with disabilities.

Contact: Patric Haerle, Communications Officer, 360-712-1892, Patric.Haerle@courts.wa.gov.