Kentucky

From today's Courier Journal is a story on what appears to be the state's first appointment of a blind person to be a judge.  Here is an extract of the story in the Courier Journal by reporter Katya Cengel.

First blind judge in Kentucky to take bench

When David Holton II is sworn in this afternoon as district court judge for the 30th Judicial District, Division 16, he will become the state's first blind judge "as far as we know," said Kentucky Chief Justice Joseph Lambert. * * *

Holton, 46, has worked as a prosecutor with the Jefferson County attorney's office for 19 years, but as a judge, his workload will probably be even heavier, said Karen Wolfe, who directs professional development for the American Foundation for the Blind. The amount of reading and writing alone can be challenging even for a sighted person, she said. Holton will have to depend on an assistant to be "his eyes" in court, reading him information on the computer and in case jackets. At first, secretaries in the building will help, but district court Judge Deborah Deweese said the Administrative Office of the Courts likely would provide funds for a helper. * * *

While the legal profession has been open to the blind, [Karen Wolfe] said, a visually impaired judge is still rare and a "huge deal." Rehearsing this role with Deweese recently, district court secretary Judy Smith said she was surprised by all the other matters with which she will need to help Holton.

"There's just so much that I see that he won't be able to, that I'll have to point out to him," said Smith. "Such as, 'The defendant is at the podium; the police officer is in the witness box now.' "

Figuring it all out will be challenging for everyone, including Holton, said Deweese.

"But he's had so many challenges in his life, and he's done so many things that you just don't tell David he can't do it," she said. "Because to him, if you tell him he can't do it, he'll just go out and do it to prove you wrong." [click on heading for entire story].