Allow Sara M. Granda to Take the State Bar Examination on July 28, 2009
- James
- Closed on
- Target:
- California State Bar
- Region:
- United States of America
This petition is now closed.
Sara M. Granda, a quadriplegic who requires a ventilator and wheelchair, seeks to take the California Bar Examination scheduled for July 28, 2009. Although she submitted the required applications and paid the accompanying fees on time, the State Bar of California, has denied Ms. Granda’s request to take the bar exam. She has filed a complaint on the basis that the denial of her application is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §12101, et seq. ("ADA").
Ms. Granda took careful precautions to ensure that accommodations were made and her registration was processed. She has spent months studying for the bar only to have the State Bar of California refuse to allow her to take the exam as scheduled. Requiring Ms. Granda to take the exam in February 2010 will result in increased state and personal expenses, increased stress for Ms. Granda, and a significant delay in her pursuing a career in law.
We, the undersigned law students, professors, attorneys and members of the community, call upon the State Bar of California to allow Sara M. Granda to take the California bar exam on July 28, 2009, with the accommodations previously approved by the State Bar of California on April 23, 2009.
We find the California State Bar’s refusal to allow Ms. Granda to take the California bar exam on July 28, 2009, needless, unjust, and disgraceful to a profession which aims to defend liberty and pursue justice. The California State Bar fails to accommodate those with disabilities during the registration process and has failed to remedy the situation once the issue of Ms. Granda’s registration came to light. These actions represent significant departures from the progress that has been made in recognizing the obstacles faced by persons with disabilities and accommodating them appropriately.
The State Bar of California should recognize the existing barrier to equal access and allow Ms. Granda to take the bar exam on July 28, 2009. As the representative body of a profession that values justice and its advancement, we call upon you to make the right decision.
The Allow Sara M. Granda to Take the State Bar Examination on July 28, 2009 petition to California State Bar was written by James and is in the category Civil Rights at GoPetition.