Obama Sends Complaint To Dept. Of Justice For Nothing!

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U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

Disability Rights Section-NY A 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530 DJ: 204-J.9-0 April

29, 2009

James B. Stegeman 821 Sheppard Stone Mountain, GA RE:

Superior

30083

court of Dekalb

County

Dear Mr. Stegeman: This is in reference to your complaint against a state or local court received 2/9/09, in which you allege violations of the Americans with.Disabilities Act (ADA) . of 1990 . .

OUr office has carefully reviewed your allegations. We have .. determined that we shal~ not initiate an investigation into your complaint because, absent exceptional circumstances, .this office does not intervene in litigation in state or local courts and does not review judicial decisions of such courts in individual matters. You may wish to retain private counsel to assist you in assessing what courses of action may be open to you.

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THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON

July 23, 2009 Mr. James R Stegeman 821 Sheppard Road Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083

Dear Mr. Stegeman: Thank you for contacting the office of President Barack Obama. The President appreciates your taking the time to voice your concerns and opinions. We have taken the liberty of forwarding your concerns to the Department of Justice for review. We have asked the agency to respond directly to you in a timely manner. Again, thank you for your correspondence. Sincerely,

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F. Michael Kelleher Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence

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THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON, DC 20502

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Mr. James B. Stegeman 821 Sheppard Road Stone Mountain, GA 30083-3642

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u.s. Department

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Civil Rights Division

Disability Rights SectWlJ • NYA

950 pennsylvtmia Avenue. NW Washtngton. DC 20530

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Mr. James B. Stegeman 821 Sheppard Road Stone Mountain, GA 30083 Dear Mr. Stegeman: This responds to your letter to President Barack·Obilma(WH 698971) which was referred to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice for response in which you seek assistance with your appeal of a United States District Court decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and your concern that you were denied an extension of time to file requisite paperwork for the appeal in a timely fashion. You suggest that you were denied a request for accommodations by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

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Title of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by state and local governments, including courts. However, federal courts, including the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, are not covered by the ADA. The Department of Justice Disability Rights Section, part of the Civil Rights Division, reviewed your cor.respondence dated March 31, 2009, and detennined that the Department has no authority under the ADA to assist you with your complaint against the court. We hope this information will assist you. Feel:free to contact the Department of Justice in the future about issues regarding enforcement of the ADA. More information on the ADA is available on the Department's ADA Home page at http://www.ada.gov. Additionally, the Department operates an ADA information line: 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY). Members of the Disability Rights Section staff are available to answer questions on the infonnation line on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, the information line is staffed from 12:30 p.nt. to 5:30 p.m ..

Sinc;;)p~ !r-;::~ ilL ~ L. Wodatch Chief Disability Rights Section