Kroll v. St. Charles County, Mo.

766 F. Supp. 744, 1991 WL 94455
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedJune 4, 1991
DocketCiv. A. No. 88-1875C(5)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 766 F. Supp. 744 (Kroll v. St. Charles County, Mo.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kroll v. St. Charles County, Mo., 766 F. Supp. 744, 1991 WL 94455 (E.D. Mo. 1991).

Opinion

766 F.Supp. 744 (1991)

Karen KROLL, et al., Plaintiffs,
v.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI, et al., Defendants.

Civ. A. No. 88-1875C(5).

United States District Court, E.D. Missouri, E.D.

June 4, 1991.

Ellsworth Cundiff, Jr., Cundiff, Turken & Londoff, St. Charles, Mo., Frederick W. Drakesmith, St. Charles, Mo., for plaintiffs.

Robert J. Krehbiel, Evans & Dixon, St. Louis, Mo., for defendants.

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

LIMBAUGH, District Judge.

Plaintiffs appear before this Court by and through their counsel, Frederick Drakesmith and Ellsworth Cundiff. Defendants appear through their counsel, Robert J. Krehbiel and Stephen A. Martin. This Court now makes the following findings of fact:

St. Charles County Courthouse

1. The St. Charles County Courthouse was built in 1903.

2. The St. Charles County Courthouse, hereinafter referred to as the "Courthouse", has two floors and a basement that have been converted into courtrooms and offices.

A. Basement Level of the St. Charles County Courthouse

3. The basement level of the courthouse contains the law library, two (2) associate *745 circuit courts, the associate circuit clerk's offices and two (2) restrooms.

4. No electronic doors exist to the entrance of the law library, and the present door is such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot gain entry to the law library.

5. The law library lacks the necessary space to house the necessary books and is therefore designed such that an individual confined to a wheelchair cannot move within the library once entry is obtained.

6. The aisles in the courthouse library are too narrow to adequately accommodate a wheelchair.

7. The hallway leading to the courthouse restrooms, the entry to the restrooms, and the aisles inside the restrooms are also too narrow to accommodate a wheelchair.

8. No electronic doors exist to the entrance of the two (2) associate circuit courtrooms, and the existing courtroom doors are such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot gain entry to the courtrooms without assistance.

9. The hallways surrounding the associate circuit courtrooms and the associate circuit clerk offices lack adequate space and are designed such that an individual confined to a wheelchair cannot move within the courtrooms and within the hallways.

10. No electronic doors exist to the entrance of the two (2) associate circuit clerk offices, and the existing office doors are such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot gain entry to the associate circuit clerk offices without assistance.

11. The associate circuit clerk offices lack adequate space and are designed such that an individual confined to a wheelchair cannot move within the clerk's offices due to the storage of records, file cabinets, and the arrangement of furniture.

12. The associate circuit clerks' offices could not employ a handicapped individual confined to a wheelchair because the employee would be unable to utilize the office due to the storage of records, file cabinets, and the arrangement of furniture.

13. The drinking fountain located on the basement level in the courthouse is too high and cannot be used by individuals who are confined to a wheelchair.

B. Second Floor of the St. Charles County Courthouse

14. Services on the second floor of the courthouse include the following: two (2) circuit courts, the probate court, the closed files, the information desk and public telephones.

15. No electronic doors exist to the entrance of the two (2) circuit courtrooms, Divisions 1 and 4, and the existing courtroom doors are such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot gain entry to the courtrooms without assistance.

16. The witness stands and the jury boxes in both courtrooms are located on a riser, with no ramp, and this design prohibits access for a person confined to a wheelchair.

17. The courtrooms lack adequate space and are therefore designed such that an individual confined to a wheelchair cannot move within the courtrooms due to the narrow aisles between benches and the railing and the jury box.

18. No electronic doors exist to the entrance of the probate court and clerk's office, and the existing door is such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot gain entry to the probate court and clerk's office without assistance.

19. The probate clerk's office lacks adequate space and is designed such that an individual confined to a wheelchair cannot move within the office and therefore cannot look up estates probated in St. Charles County.

20. The probate court could not employ a physically handicapped individual confined to a wheelchair because the prospective employee would be unable to utilize the office due to the above-mentioned interior design.

21. No electronic doors exist to the entrance of the circuit clerk's office/closed files, and the existing office door is such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot *746 gain entry to the office without assistance.

22. The circuit clerk's office/closed files lacks adequate space and the interior design is such that an individual confined to a wheelchair cannot move within the office due to the storage of file cabinets, records, and the arrangement of furniture.

23. The circuit clerk's office/closed files could not employ a physically handicapped individual because the prospective employee would be unable to utilize the office due to the storage of file cabinets, records, and the arrangement of furniture.

24. The public telephones located on the second floor of the courthouse are located at such a height that they cannot be used by individuals confined to a wheelchair.

25. No public restrooms exist on the second floor of the St. Charles County Courthouse. Moreover, the second floor is designed such that there is no adequate space to install public restrooms with doors and hallways wide enough to accommodate physically handicapped citizens confined to a wheelchair.

26. The second floor of the courthouse can only be reached from the street level by way of stairs. There are no elevators, ramps, etc., to make the second floor of the courthouse from the street level accessible to handicapped citizens.

C. Third Floor of the St. Charles County Courthouse

27. Services on the third floor include two (2) circuit courts, the circuit clerk's office and two (2) restrooms.

28. No electronic doors exist to the entrances of the circuit courtrooms, and the existing courtroom doors are such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot gain entry to the courtrooms without assistance.

29. The witness stands and the jury boxes in both courtrooms are located on a riser, with no ramp, and this design prohibits access for a person confined to a wheelchair.

30. The two (2) courtrooms lack adequate space and are therefore designed such that an individual confined to a wheelchair cannot move within the courtrooms due to the narrow aisles between benches and the railings and the jury boxes.

31. No electronic doors exist to the entrance of the circuit clerk's office, and the existing door is such that a person confined to a wheelchair cannot gain entry to the circuit clerk's office without assistance.

32.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Green v. North Arundel Hospital Association, Inc.
785 A.2d 361 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2001)
Cary by and Through Cary v. Oneok, Inc.
1997 OK 60 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1997)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
766 F. Supp. 744, 1991 WL 94455, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kroll-v-st-charles-county-mo-moed-1991.