Read the Class Notice in English or Spanish. On February 22, 2018, Disability Rights Advocates, in partnership with Disability Rights California (“DRC”), released a 50-page report on our 6-month investigation of the treatment of youth with disabilities at the Kern County Juvenile Hall and other Kern County juvenile detention facilities. Our investigation uncovered abuse and … Continue reading “T.G. v. Kern County”
On September 19, 2017, DRA filed a class Charge of Discrimination against the City of New York and the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) for discriminating against veterans applying for FDNY positions. On December 12, 2017, DRA filed a second Charge in the same case. The Charges are filed on behalf … Continue reading “FDNY’s Discrimination Against Veterans”
On June 22, 2021, a United States District Court approved a settlement with the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) to resolve a 2017 lawsuit brought by Bronx Independent Living Services (BILS) and two students with disabilities in the Bronx, represented by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA). The class action lawsuit challenged the DOE’s denial … Continue reading “M.G., et al. v. New York City Department of Education, et al.”
Please see the notice to individuals who may be impacted by the class action settlement agreement at the following link: https://bit.ly/3H8v9Ln . The New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) will drastically improve the provision of special education services for people in its prisons, according to a settlement preliminarily approved by the federal District Court for … Continue reading “Adam X. v. New Jersey Department of Corrections”
On September 9, 2014, DRA filed a class action lawsuit together with co-counsel from Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs against the District of Columbia for its failure to meaningfully include persons with disabilities in its emergency planning. People with disabilities have traditionally faced exceptionally … Continue reading “D.C. Center for Independent Living, et al. v. District of Columbia”
Disability Rights Advocates in partnership with Public Counsel filed this lawsuit because Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall had a policy and practice of locking young people with disabilities in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day and depriving them of education. In a video, parents of young people held at Juvenile Hall say … Continue reading “G.F. et al. v. Contra Costa County et al.”
Disabled employees of the Social Security Administration (SSA) challenged SSA’s discriminatory practice of limited job promotions and other career advancement opportunities for people with disabilities. On August 25, 2010, the EEOC Office of Federal Operations affirmed the October 8, 2008 decision of the Administrative Judge to certify the case as a class action. SSA filed … Continue reading “Jantz, et al. v. Barnhart”
In 2004, the California Youth Authority (CYA), the state’s juvenile prison system, agreed to a major overhaul of the entire CYA system to address the inhumane and illegal conditions of confinement which affect young inmates in the CYA system. The case was brought under state law to stop the CYA from perpetuating illegal conditions within … Continue reading “Farrell v. Allen”
DRA represented the Western Regional Advocacy Project and the Coalition on Homelessness in this lawsuit on behalf of people with psychiatric and mobility disabilities who experienced barriers in San Francisco’s homeless shelter system. DRA reached a settlement with the City that was approved by the court in August of 2010. During the course of the … Continue reading “WRAP v. Newsom”
In January 2013, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case. Despite this disappointment, the landmark case raised national awareness of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ serious deficiencies and delays in providing veterans with the mental health care treatment and benefit determination claims they deserve and need. The case furthered awareness of veterans’ mental health … Continue reading “Veterans for Common Sense (VCS), et al. v. Shinseki, et al.”