Category Archives: amicus brief

Belated Update on Wisconsin Case: ASAN Files Second Amicus Brief for NDY and 13 Other Disability Groups

[This announcement is from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and originally appeared on Feb. 2, 2015.] On Monday January 26, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Not Dead Yet, and 13 other disability rights organizations filed a second amicus brief in a case defending the rights of people with disabilities to basic medical care. Disability … Continue reading Belated Update on Wisconsin Case: ASAN Files Second Amicus Brief for NDY and 13 Other Disability Groups

Assisted Suicide Laws Violate the ADA

The 22nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) seems like the perfect opportunity to set the record straight about how theADA relates to assisted suicide. There’s a rarely articulated idea that assisted suicide is a sort of ADA“reasonable accommodation” to enable people who have serious physical impairments to have equal access to suicide.  … Continue reading Assisted Suicide Laws Violate the ADA

Important Legal Victory for People Under Guardianship in Pennsylvania

Last month, there was an important legal victory for people under guardianship in Pennsylvania.  The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania issued its ruling in the matter of D.L.H.  This appeal was made by the guardians of a man with developmental disabilities.  As reported in this 2009 blog entry, a lower court severely limited a guardian’s power … Continue reading Important Legal Victory for People Under Guardianship in Pennsylvania

New Jersey: Appellate Court Issues Ruling in Betancourt v. Trinitas

The Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court issued its ruling today in Betancourt v. Trinitas Hospital.  The hospital had asked the Court to rule that it had the right to discontinue dialysis treatments for Ruben Betancourt, a patient with a hypoxic brain injury, based on doctors’ claims that prolonging his life was “futile” … Continue reading New Jersey: Appellate Court Issues Ruling in Betancourt v. Trinitas

NDY Files Disability Amicus Brief in Montana with Four Other National Disability Rights Groups

Last week, amicus briefs were filed with the Montana Supreme Court – supporting an appeal by the state Attorney General to reverse a lower court decision that assisted suicide is a “constitutional right” in that state. Due to a variety of factors, NDY was unable to get word out to the media when our brief … Continue reading NDY Files Disability Amicus Brief in Montana with Four Other National Disability Rights Groups