36 CFR Parts 1190 and 1191 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines - Preamble (Discussion of Comments and Changes)

231 Judicial Facilities

This section covers courthouses and other judicial facilities and provides requirements for courtrooms (231.2), holding cells (231.3), and visiting areas (231.4). This section has not been changed except for a few editorial revisions:

• provisions specific to courtrooms have been relocated without substantive change to a new technical section on courtrooms (808) in Chapter 8, which covers special rooms, spaces, and elements

• a scoping provision for partitions in visiting areas (231.4.2) has been revised for consistency with the technical criteria it references

Comment. Commenters indicated that provisions specific to courtrooms in section 232.2 of the proposed rule functioned more as technical requirements and should be relocated to the appropriate technical chapter.

Response. The Board agrees and has relocated these provisions to a new technical section in Chapter 8 (Special Rooms, Spaces, and Elements) at section 808 that is specific to courtrooms.

Comment. A commenter pointed out that the provision for solid partitions or security glazing in visiting areas should be revised to be more consistent with the technical provision it references, which requires some method to facilitate voice communication.

Response. The Board has revised this provision to clarify that "at least one of each type" is required to comply, consistent with the referenced technical requirement in section 904.6.