Featured Case Update: Trivette v. Tennessee Department of Correction

In Trivette v. Tennessee Department of Correction, deaf people in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), as well as Disability Rights Tennessee, challenged TDOC's failure to ensure effective communication for deaf and hard of hearing people, including denial of access to qualified sign language interpreters and functioning telecommunication equipment.  On May 5, 2021, the court granted plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction, ordering that the plaintiffs work with TDOC to develop an interim plan for improving videophone access until the overhaul of accessible telecommunications in TDOC facilities.  And on July 9, 2024, the court granted in part the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, holding, inter alia, that TDOC's failure to provide qualified interpreters and videophones violated the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and confirming that Disability Rights Tennessee had standing and was not required to exhaust administrative remedies under the PLRA.

Read more about the case and find relevant documents here. See all of the cases in the Clearinghouse's special collection "Deaf or Blind in Jail/Prison" here.