Although United States Courts are not subject to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the Court has made efforts to remove disability-related barriers to court services by providing wheelchair access and other accommodations.  Accommodations available to individuals with hearing or visual impairments are described below. 

Screening and Entry:  All Courthouses

All individuals seeking entrance to any facility must present valid, government issued, photo identification, such as a driver's license or state ID.  Additionally, all individuals must also go through security screening, which in most circumstances includes a metal detector. You may request alternative screening if you have a pacemaker, cochlear implant, or other medical implant, or if a mobility impairment affects your ability to proceed through a metal detector.

Wheelchair/Mobility Disability Access

All courthouses are wheelchair accessible.  Automatic doors are available at the public entrance to the building.  Elevators provide access to all courthouse floors.  Publicly accessible restrooms within the courthouse provide wheelchair accommodation. 

ADA Access:

Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse, Portland

The sidewalk near the southwest corner of the courthouse (near the corner of S.W. Main St. and S.W. Third Ave.) is level with the walkway into the public entry on S.W. Third Avenue.

Wayne L. Morse Courthouse, Eugene

Enter via a ramp or elevator on E. Eighth Avenue, which leads to the public entry.

James A. Redden Courthouse, Medford

Enter via a lift near the southwest corner of the courthouse (next to the wrought iron gate).  Please notify the Court Security Officers by pressing the intercom button near the lift, and they will assist with using the lift.

John F. Kilkenny United States Post Office and Courthouse, Pendleton

Enter via a ramp at the front of the courthouse into the public entryway. 

Assistive Listening Devices

All courtrooms are equipped with infrared (IR) headsets capable of providing listeners with amplification of the proceedings.  Anyone anticipating the need to use an IR headset in a particular proceeding should contact the judge's courtroom deputy.  Contact information for the courtroom deputy can be found on the webpage for the assigned judge.  Advanced notice is appreciated but not required.

If you have been called for jury duty and believe you might need additional amplification or other accommodations while in the jury office (such as captions for viewing an orientation video), please contact the disability access and accommodation coordinator for the courthouse where you will report for jury duty.

If you are a party, prospective juror, or witness and would like to request realtime transcription or a sign language interpreter for court proceedings, please contact the disability access and accommodation coordinator for the courthouse where the proceeding will be held.

Assistive Visual Devices

Document magnifiers and computer screen magnifiers are available upon request at all Clerk's Office intake locations.  To request use of either of these devices in court proceedings, please contact the disability access and accommodation coordinator for the courthouse where the proceeding will be held.

Disability Access and Accommodation Coordinators

Portland and Pendleton:

 
503-326-8019

Eugene and Medford:

503-326-8090

Evidence Presentation Systems (EPS):

Each courtroom is equipped with an EPS which may be used for presenting evidence in court proceedings.  Each EPS includes the following components:

• A document camera for displaying video images of objects or papers.
• A BluRay or DVD player for video or audio evidence.
• An annotation system with touchscreen monitors located at the EPS lectern and witness box. Note: Users can use their fingertip to draw images on the screen, which can be useful for directing attention to key parts of the evidence.
• HDMI cables and VGA cables to connect a computer to an EPS. Each courtroom has two of each type of connection.
• Monitors for counsel, jury, witness, court staff, judge, and gallery to view evidence.
• A touch panel control system to switch video and audio sources.
• A projection screen (ceiling mounted or free-standing), with projectors available upon request and with approval from the court.

Note: There is no annotation system at the Pendleton Courthouse.

EPS Quick Start Guide

To turn Evidence Presentation System (EPS) on:

To use Document Camera:

To use BluRay/DVD player:

To annotate evidence:

To display video and play audio from a laptop computer or tablet:

Troubleshooting if the video does not display:

To publish evidence to the jury:

To turn off EPS:

Videoconference Systems:

Videoconference systems can be used to connect court participants in other remote locations.  Connections can also be made through an internet browser plugin if the remote participant's device has a suitable camera, speaker, and microphone.  Use of the Court’s videoconference systems requires approval from the court and advance testing.  Please contact the assigned courtroom deputy for any questions or for making arrangements to use videoconferencing.  Technical staff will assist as needed.

Videoconference equipment is located in the following courtrooms:

1 There are many ways to burn DVDs and CDs. The court's DVD players are compatible with almost all media types, but this technology changes often.  It is best to test compatibility in advance of proceedings.

2 For example, IBM ThinkPads use the combination of Fn + F7.  Dell laptops use a combination of Fn+F8.  Usually the F key associated with this function will read "CRT/LCD" or have a drawing of two monitors on it.  The toggle function refers to the three positions of the switch, 1) laptop monitor only, 2) external monitor only, or 3) both monitors.  This is usually only necessary for analog connections, as digital connections are automatically detected by most modern laptops and tablets.

3 Many laptop computers have a software program which controls the video card.  Access this program by selecting the advanced tab after selecting settings as above.  The Court relies on you to make these settings.  Again: pre-testing correct operation will prevent problems during proceedings.

Lactation rooms are now available for nursing mothers in the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in Portland and the Wayne L. Morse Courthouse in Eugene. The designated rooms in Portland are 904 (9th floor) and 1504 (15th floor), and the designated room in Eugene is 3102 (3rd floor).

The rooms have locking doors and are equipped with refrigerators. No reservation is necessary. Questions may be directed to  or 503-326-8000.

Hatfield Courthouse Locations	Morse Courthouse Location