AMICUS BRIEFS

Amicus briefs are legal documents filed in appellate court cases by non-litigants with a strong interest in the subject matter. The briefs advise the court of relevant, additional information or arguments that the drafters want the courts to consider. The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law chooses to contribute amicus briefs to cases that push the envelope to guarantee the civil rights, full inclusion and equality of adults and children with mental disabilities.

FEATURED

CVS CASE

The Bazelon Center filed an amicus brief, alongside 10 disability and civil rights organizations, with the Supreme Court of the United States in support of protections against discrimination based on disability and in opposition to CVS’s attempt to dismantle Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which is incorporated into the Affordable Care Act.

Read the Amicus Brief (PDF) here »

Read the Press Release (PDF) here »

ENDREW CASE

Learn about the recent Supreme Court ruling that raises the minimum education standards for children with disabilities and why the Center applauds the decision.

Read more about Endrew Case »

OLMSTEAD CASE

The Bazelon Center played a very central role as this case moved through the court system. When it reached the Supreme Court, we organized the filing of amicus briefs to provide background to the Court around such critical issues as the long history of discrimination against people with mental disabilities; the broad support for community integration; and the cost-effectiveness of providing services in the community instead of institutional settings.

Read more about Olmstead Case »

BRITNEY SPEARS CASE

The Bazelon Center filed an amicus brief, alongside 25 civil rights and disability rights organizations, with the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in support of Britney Spears’s right to select her own attorney for her conservatorship proceedings. The brief also urged the court to ensure she has access to assistance and tools to make this choice.

Read the Amicus Brief (PDF) here »

Read the Press Release (PDF) here »