Chief Justice Kristina Cook Graham of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit has appointed attorney Melissa Gifford Hise to serve as the Americans with Disabilities Act contact in that circuit.
The appointment comes after the Judicial Council of Georgia issued a position statement to all Georgia Courts in December to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
“Ms. Hise will be an outstanding liaison between our court and our citizens,” Judge Graham says. “In her 25 years of service to the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, she has become familiar with our courthouse facilities in all four counties and the men and women who work within them.”
The ADA contact position aims to ensure equal access to and full participation in the courts and programs conducted by the courts by people with disabilities.
Hise will be available to consult with individuals on a personal basis to determine what steps need to be taken to resolve a particular issue.
Her first duty will be to evaluate the courthouses of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker counties and prepare a report of recommendations to improve their access.
Hise graduated from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and began practicing law in 1993.
She currently practices at the Palmour Law Firm in Summerville, Georgia, and serves as an associate magistrate judge in Walker County.
Contact Hise at mhise@palmourlaw.com.
Source: Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit