504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for Civil Court Brooklyn Jacqueline D. Williams' response)

Candidate Name: Jacqueline D. Williams

Candidate for: Civil Court, Borough of Brooklyn (countywide)

Campaign Manager: Dr. Marco Mason

Campaign Name: Committee to Elect Jacqueline D. Williams

Contact Person: Ruth Williams

Phone: 917-327-4385

Key endorsements to date:

Political leaders: After a screening process and a debate, I was endorsed by the Kings County Democratic Party with the support of 35 of 42 District Leaders. In addition, Sen. John Sampson, Cong. Ed Towns, Councilman Dilan, Fidler, Stewart, are supporting me.

Local community leaders: Starrett City Tenants Association President, Various Senior Center Presidents. Various Pastors and various Community Board persons.

Labor: CSEA (state employees union)

Please describe any experience with disability you have had in your life or career.

For most of my life, I have been involved in an organization called the Lions Clubs of Lions International. The Lions Clubs were formed by Melvin Jones to assist individuals with blindness. At that time in 1917, medical technology did not allow Jones to use the facilities and the skills to create vision opportunities where an individual may not feel they have such an option. Today, the Lions, 1.7 million strong across the world continue to work to eradicate illnesses such as "river blindness" in Africa to "co loss" in the United States to vision loss due to illness like diabetes here in the United States. We also raise funds and support the New York Eye Dogs foundation and the facility where seeing eye dogs are trained and prepared to become the eyes of someone.
How will you incorporate people with disabilities into your campaign? Are you willing to hire and use flex-time and job-sharing if necessary?

I welcome anyone with skill, time, talent and energy to become involved with my campaign. Although, I currently do not have a campaign office, I expect to have one for the final weeks of the campaign. That office will be on the street level providing for easy entrance into the space. We will also endeavor to match campaign tasks with skills and with interest. That is the same approach that we would have for non-disabled persons. With respect to the campaign flex time is not really an issue. If elected, the one position that I will have the opportunity to hire is for a Law Secretary. I would not have a problem hiring an individual who may need to have a flexible schedule. I have known Law Secretaries over the years who have been involved in Job-share situations because of their children. Whether the job-share is a function of child care needs or a function of health and/or flexibility issues should not be distinguishable.

The issue really is whether one has the capacity to understand and appreciate the need to be open to different types of work routines and schedules. I am open to the possibility.
If you are in private practice, is your office accessible to people with disabilities? If not, what have you done to ensure access?

I am not in private practice.
Is the courthouse in which you work accessible to people with all kinds of disabilities? If not, what have you done to ensure access?

I currently work at 360 Adams Street. I know that we have street level entrances and exits allowing for wheelchair access. We also have ramps in the front of the building which also allow for access. Once inside the building, it is fairly easy to move from floor to floor by elevator. The challenges in the 360 Adams however relate to things such as lower placed floor boards on the elevator walls or more assistance for individuals who may be visually or bearing impaired. I have not bad any direct contact with respect to disability issues with the Court Administration office; however, with respect to disabled persons who have appeared before the Court, we have certainly made sure that the person can safely and freely traverse our corridors and that they are not made uncomfortable by long waits.
Has a person with a disability appeared before your court as a juror or litigant? If so, please indicate what, if any, challenges arose? And how were they handled?

We have had a few blind attorneys appear as well as a few disabled litigants appear before the Court. With respect to the attorneys, our Court officers are well-trained to be able to assist with courtroom mobility if necessary. One of our largest verdicts was won by a disabled attorney. With respect to litigants we have had older ladies in wheelchairs who have suffered an injury to a young boy who suffered permanent left- sided paralysis as a result of a doctor's mistake. When this young man of five years old appeared, we made sure every effort was made to have him appear in a way that he did not become intimidated or overwhelmed by the setting. Although, we would do this for any five year old, it was particularly important to ensure that be did feel as though the jury was judging him.
Do you believe that a deaf or a blind person can serve as a juror? Why or why not?

Although, a judicial candidate should not take positions on issues, I am quite certain that the Courts employ both "sign language" translators as well as audio capabilities to assist visually impaired individuals.
Are you willing to hire on a job share or full time basis, a qualified law clerk/secretary with a disability?

I see no problem with hiring a disabled person for the position. I will only be looking to fill the position with the most qualified person I can find and if the person has a disability, I would not find that to present a problem.
How will you work within the court structure to assure the accessibility of all facilities of the courts? For example, participation in the Committee for People with Disabilities, relevant training opportunities?

Although the Courts may not have addressed this concern in great detail, I will first of all seek out more information as to how the issues have been responded to in the past and based upon that I will work with others to see that the Court remains responsive and attentive to the needs of all groups who access the facility.

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