Although the United States Courts are not subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the Court's policy to remove disability-related barriers to court services by providing reasonable accommodations.
This web page offers information commonly sought about access to our courthouses, court documents and proceedings. For any question not answered on this page, please email accommodations@cand.uscourts.gov.
Our courthouses offer:
- Accessibility for those with limited mobility.
- Private spaces for lactation.
- Services for those with communication disabilities.
Our courthouses do not offer:
- Services related to case management (for example, extending filing deadlines).
- Personal devices, such as wheelchairs, prescription eye glasses, or hearing aids.
- Services of a personal nature, such as the pushing of wheelchairs or accompanying a litigant to court proceedings.
All individuals seeking entrance to any facility must present a valid, government issued ID such as a drivers license or state ID and pass through security screening, which in most circumstances includes a metal detector.
Individuals with pacemakers or cochlear implants may request screening via a hand-held wand.
San Francisco
The Phillip Burton Federal Building & United States Courthouse is wheelchair-accessible via both the Golden Gate Avenue and Turk Street entrances. Automatic doors are available at both entrances to the building. Six public elevators provide access to all courthouse floors while twelve public elevators provide access to the Clerk's Office. All publicly-accessible restrooms within the courthouse provide wheelchair accommodation.
Handicapped parking is available at all major parking establishments surrounding the courthouse.
Oakland
The Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building is wheelchair-accessible from both the Clay and Jefferson Street entrances. A ramp is located on the Jefferson Street side of the complex leading to accessible entrances. The Clay Street entrance is at street level, leading to accessible entrances to the towers and to the courthouse.
Handicapped parking is available on both Clay and Jefferson Streets, as well as within the City Center West Garage located on the Jefferson Street side of the complex.
San Jose
Grade-level access to the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building is available from First Street (the west side). Two ADA-compliant ramps border the Second Street (east) side for non-ambulatory access. The public entrance to the courthouse is fully accessible. Three public elevators provide access to upper floors. All publicly-accessible restrooms within the courthouse provide wheelchair accommodation.
Handicapped parking is available at all major parking establishments surrounding the courthouse.
Eureka-McKinleyville
The entrance to the Eureka-McKinleyville courthouse is wheelchair-accessible, and the courthouse and courtroom are fully ADA-compliant.
Visually Impaired parties, jurors, or witnesses may request:
A document magnifier from the Clerk's Office Intake Desk.
Hearing Impaired parties, jurors, or witness may request:
CART (Communications Access Realtime Translation) or American Sign Language interpreter in the courtroom. Please complete the Application for CART or Sign Language Interpreter and email it to accommodations@cand.uscourts.gov.
Special Amplification or Captions or other courtroom accommodations for jurors may be requested by emailing accommodations@cand.uscourts.gov.
The Court provides a private room in the San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose courthouses to accommodate visitors' lactation needs. The availability of this designated space will be prioritized for use as a lactation room. The interior is shielded from view, and the private room provides an electrical outlet, desktop area, access to a nearby sink, and a door that locks with an indicator that the room is occupied.
Locations
- San Francisco: 18th floor Attorney Lounge
- Oakland: 4th floor Attorney Lounge
- San Jose: 4th floor, Room 4074 by Courtroom 6
For assistance with a lactation room, please contact:
- Court staff in the Clerk’s Office;
- The courtroom deputy for the judge presiding over the proceeding you'll be attending; or
- Email accommodations@cand.uscourts.gov.