Case: Siaki v. Darr
1:11-cv-03074 | U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
Filed Date: Nov. 23, 2011
Closed Date: Sept. 27, 2014
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Case Summary
This case, filed in federal court in 2011 and settled in 2012, addressed the Adams County Sheriff’s Department and its communication with deaf individuals incarcerated in its jail. The case’s complaint described an incident in May 2010 in which law enforcement was called on two individuals engaged in an argument. Neither of the two--who became the case’s individual plaintiffs--could speak, write, or read effectively in English. When Sheriff’s deputies arrived, the plaintiffs were not able to communicate or explain what had happened. The complaint alleged that the deputies failed to provide a sign language interpreter or any other effective auxiliary aid. Instead, one of the individuals was arrested for allegedly hitting the second individual, despite the attempts by both to explain that no violence had occurred. While in custody, the arrestee was required to sign several forms that he did not understand, including a Miranda form acknowledging that he knew his rights. Throughout his 25-day detention at the Adams County Detention Facility, staff failed to provide him with appropriate auxiliary aids or services. He was unable to call anyone, to communicate during his medical intake, or understand why he was being detained.
This lawsuit followed. It was filed November 23, 2011 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The two deaf individuals were represented by the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition. The plaintiffs sued the Sheriff of Adams County in his official capacity under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. They sought declaratory relief, damages, and an injunction requiring the defendant to provide qualified sign language interpreters or other appropriate auxiliary aids or services to ensure effective communication with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. On January 26, 2012, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint that added two additional individual plaintiffs. One was another deaf individual who communicated only through American Sign Language. He was detained at the Adams County Detention Facility for six days and unable to communicate during his detention. The other plaintiff was his aunt. The amended complaint also added the Colorado Association of the Deaf as a plaintiff.
On March 13, 2012, District Judge John L. Kane referred the case to Magistrate Judge Boyd N. Boland. The parties then spent the next several months engaging in settlement conversations. On September 25, they moved to dismiss the case because they had reached a settlement agreement. The agreement required the defendant to change jail policies to ensure that detained individuals who required sign language interpretation knew how to request it. The settlement also required the defendants to provide training for staff, verify and monitor compliance with the agreement, and pay $100,000 to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition Legal Program. On September 27, 2012, Judge Kane granted the parties’ motion to dismiss the case and retained jurisdiction to enforce the settlement agreement for two years. There are no further docket entries. The enforcement period was scheduled to end in 2014, so the case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Gabriela Hybel (1/27/2019)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5263535/parties/siaki-v-darr/
Boland, Boyd N. (Colorado)
Kane, John L. Jr. (Colorado)
Montoya, Andrew Christopher (Colorado)
Williams, Kevin William (Colorado)
Miller, Heidi Michelle (Colorado)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Resources
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5263535/siaki-v-darr/
Last updated April 1, 2026, 5:19 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Healthcare Access and Reproductive Issues
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Nov. 23, 2011
Closing Date: Sept. 27, 2014
Case Ongoing: No reason to think so
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Four deaf individuals and two disability rights organizations
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
County
Adams County Sheriff
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.
Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act), 29 U.S.C. § 701
Other Dockets:
District of Colorado 1:11-cv-03074
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Content of Injunction:
Amount Defendant Pays: 100,000
Order Duration: 2012 - 2014
Issues
General/Misc.:
Access to lawyers or judicial system
Disability and Disability Rights:
TTY/Close Captioning/Videophone/etc.
Discrimination Area:
Discrimination Basis:
Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)
Case Summary of Siaki v. Darr, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/17000/ (last updated 1/27/2019).