Deafand Dumb Legal Rightsof

Deaf and Dumb, Legal Rights of, A deaf and dumb person cannot serve as a juryman, nor can he serve in the army or navy. If he has received a good education, and knows the importance of an oath, his evidence as a witness is admissible, either by signs, through an interpreter, by writing, or by spoken words. Both in England and Scotland they may make wills; and an instance is on record (May. 1861) in which a will was made by a lady born deaf who became blind also, at the age of 60, and whose will, made at 70 years of age, when contested and challenged, was conclusively proved and established in the Court of Probate at Westminster. A strange case has arisen recently in one of the minor courts in Scotland where the defendant, being deaf and not answering to his name simply from not hearing it, though he was present, was considered to have treated the Court with contempt by his absence, and the verdict was given against him. It is hoped that efforts may be successfully made to correct this manifest injustice.