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Any qualified person with a disability who has business in a state court, including attorneys, litigants, defendants, probationers, witnesses, potential jurors, prospective employees and public observers of court services and programs may request reasonable accommodation by contacting the local ADA Coordinator or Jury Commissioner.

A presentence report is a document prepared by the Probation Department about a specific defendant. The report provides the Judge with information about the offense, victim impact and the defendant to help with the sentencing decision. Presentence reports are prepared for juveniles and adults.

Auxiliary aids and services necessary for effective communication or to enable participation in services, other than devices of a personal nature, are to be provided at no cost to the person with the disability. The court or probation department is responsible for providing and paying the incurred costs, with the exception of the appointment of an interpreter for a deaf or hard of hearing person provided by the Department of Human Services pursuant to section 13-90-204(1), C.R.S.

A person with a disability who meets the essential eligibility requirements for the program or service offered by the court or probation with or without reasonable accommodation. For example, the accommodation would need to enable the person to meet the statutory requirement that he or she be able to read, speak and understand the English language to serve on a jury. Similarly, a witness, with or without accommodation, must be able to express his or her thoughts and be capable of understanding the duty to tell the truth.

The court must ensure that court and probation services and programs are physically accessible to people with disabilities by removing architectural barriers. Examples of architectural accommodations to facilitate accessibility to people with disabilities are: providing wheelchair ramps and wheelchair accessible restrooms, adjusting the height of public information counters, labeling facilities with Braille lettering, providing adequate lighting in the courtrooms for those with vision disabilities, and providing adjustable microphones for witnesses.

The court also must ensure that its communications with people with disabilities are as effective as communications with others and that all can fully participate and enjoy the services and programs provided. The provision of auxiliary aids and services, at no charge, may be a reasonable accommodation to ensure effective communication for a person with a hearing, visual or speech disability. The type of auxiliary aid or service necessary to ensure effective communication will vary in accordance with the length and complexity of the communication involved and the individual’s specific disability and preferred mode of communication. Every effort shall be made to meet the specific needs of the individual. The court is not responsible, however, for providing devices of a personal nature such as prescription eyeglasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, and/or personal medical or attendant care.