On October 4, 1979, deaf Maryland prisoners filed a civil rights class action suit, under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against officials of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Plaintiffs, who were represented by the National Association of the Deaf Legal Defense Fund, sought declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that the defendants failed to provide sign language interpreters to prisoners.

On February 27, 1980, the District Court (Judge Frank A. Kaufman) approved a consent decree under which defendants agreed to provide sign language interpreters to deaf prisoners under a variety of circumstances. The decree established certain hiring criteria for establishing that the sign language interpreter was qualified. The defendants were also ordered to pay the plaintiffs $3,000 plus fees. Finally, the decree constituted a full settlement of the lawsuit and the plaintiff waived any past, present or future claim related to this action.

Eoghan Keenan - 05/25/2005
Priyah Kaul - 11/25/2014


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