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Cobb v. Georgia Department of Community Supervision

Status: Ongoing
Last Update: June 5, 2020

What's at Stake

The ACLU and ACLU of Georgia, along with the National Association of the Deaf and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing individuals on probation and parole supervised by the Georgia Department of Community Supervision (GDCS). We also sought a preliminary injunction, directing GDCS to immediately provide American Sign Language interpreters, auxiliary aids and services, and reasonable modifications to deaf and hard of hearing individuals on probation or parole.

The complaint details GDCS’ failure to provide communication access to deaf and hard of hearing individuals, leaving them with an incomplete, often incorrect understanding of the conditions and requirements of their probation and parole. This leaves these individuals at constant risk of violating terms and conditions that they are not even aware of, and puts them in danger of incarceration. It also limits their ability to receive the same supports and services that hearing people on parole and probation receive, hindering their ability to secure employment, maintain their health, and fulfill their basic needs.

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