For Immediate Release: May 17, 2004
Contacts: Christopher Burley, Bazelon Center, 202-467-5730 x 133
or leec@bazelon.org
Supreme Court Decides Tennessee v. Lane and Jones, Upholds
Civil Rights Protections for People with
Disabilities
(Washington, DC)-The Supreme Court today issued an important
decision on the civil rights of people with disabilities,
ruling 5-4 that states can be sued for money damages under
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act for failing to
provide people with disabilities access to the courts.
The following is a statement by Ira Burnim, legal director at
the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, a national legal
advocacy group for the rights of people with mental
disabilities:
"Today's decision is a huge win at a critical time for millions
of Americans with disabilities. The Supreme Court today
narrowly rejected a radical interpretation of states' rights
that would have robbed millions of a vital means of protecting
their civil rights.
"Unfortunately, the razor-thin margin and limited scope of the
decision in Tennessee v. Lane underscores the fact that
disability rights in this country hang by a thread.
"Court rulings in recent years have threatened to eviscerate
the Americans with Disabilities Act. While the ultimate impact
of the Court's decision in Lane won't be known for years,
today's ruling is an essential acknowledgement of the federal
government's important role in enforcing civil rights."
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The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a national legal
advocate for people with mental disabilities. For more information,
please see www.bazelon.org
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