ASL Dispute Results in Legal Settlement
March 2020
Source: Pioneer Press
The St. Paul City Council approved a $95,000 payout to settle a federal lawsuit over American Sign Language (ASL) accommodations. The lawsuit was filed by Catrina Hooper, a deaf individual who, in 2014, sought to file a domestic assault report against her mother with the St. Paul Police Department and requested a qualified ASL interpreter. Despite her request, an officer who knew sign language but was not ASL-certified was provided. Hooper alleged violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act and Minnesota Human Rights Act. The city denied liability but chose to settle, leading to changes in police department policy on communication with the deaf.
The Disability Law Center represented Hooper, marking its second involvement in such cases. In 2008, a similar lawsuit by deaf activist Doug Bahl resulted in policy changes and a $93,450 settlement in 2013. Hooper's lawsuit highlighted her arrest when the police department failed to use a certified interpreter, leading to charges of felony domestic assault, ultimately pleaded down to a misdemeanor in 2015.
Hooper also filed a suit against Ramsey County and the sheriff's office, alleging a lack of ASL interpreter in jail, resulting in a $40,000 settlement in 2017. The recent settlement mandates amendments to police department policy, specifying the use of only certified sign language interpreters in scheduled interviews and meetings with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, excluding emergency situations. Supervisors and new employees will receive training on the updated policy, and ongoing compliance monitoring is planned. Barnett Bud Rosenfield, a supervising attorney with the Disability Law Center, emphasized the city's commitment to clarifying and reinforcing its policy on providing ASL accommodations.
ASL dispute results in legal settlement | Access Press