Elia v. New York Unified Court System

In March 2025, DRA and Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLP filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Brooklyn resident Albert Elia and the National Federation of the Blind – New York against the New York State Unified Court System and the Kings County Commissioner of Jurors challenging their systemic discrimination against blind individuals who report for jury duty. Read the complaint.

Mr. Elia, an attorney and graduate from Northeastern University School of Law and Harvard College, was sworn in as a grand juror in Kings County Supreme Court in fall 2024. He met all the requirements to serve as a juror. But on his first day, the Court excluded him from deliberating on cases that involved video or photo evidence, under the incorrect and harmful assumption that Mr. Elia could not interpret that evidence because he is blind, and he was ultimately dismissed altogether.

The Court refused to allow Mr. Elia to use assistive technology or receive verbal descriptions of evidence, which would have allowed him to fulfill his civic duty alongside his fellow grand jurors. The lawsuit alleges that the Brooklyn courts fail to have appropriate policies and procedures in place to avoid these exclusionary practices.  

Plaintiffs allege that Mr. Elia’s experience is part of a pattern of discrimination against blind jurors in New York State courts. Among other relief, the lawsuit seeks an order to ensure that Defendants take all necessary steps to ensure blind individuals have equal access to jury service.