New Mexico court staff trained on identifying service animals and courtroom accommodations

Gemini Schell, a disability specialist with the New Mexico Governor's Commission on Disability, told court staff that when an animal's role is not obvious they may ask only two questions to determine whether it is a service animal: "Is this animal required due to a disability?" and "What task or work has this animal been trained to perform for you?" Schell made the remarks during a training session hosted by the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts.

The training focused on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Titles II and III — which cover state and local governments and public accommodations — and how those federal rules intersect with the Fair Housing Act, the Air Carrier Access Act and New Mexico's own Service Animal Act. "Allowing service animals is considered a reasonable modification of a no-pets policy," Schell said, underscoring that courts must accommodate service animals when handlers meet the legal criteria.

Why it matters: courtrooms regularly encounter people with visible and invisible disabilities and must apply consistent assessments without probing medical details. Schell warned staff they may not ask for proof of disability, demand certification, or require paperwork, and that "there are many organizations…