Disability Law

Former administrative law judge pleads guilty to taking bribes in $550M disability fraud scheme

A former administrative law judge pleaded guilty on Friday to taking more than $609,000 in bribes from a disability lawyer who called himself “Mr. Social Security.” The former judge, David Black Daugherty, 81, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving illegal gratuities, according to a…

May 15, 2017 1:13 PM CDT

Sharing isn’t caring when small businesses skirt civil rights laws

If courts agree that businesses in the “sharing economy” are technology companies rather than sellers of services—and can invoke arbitration clauses in their terms of service—users of those businesses may have no recourse against civil rights violations.

May 1, 2017 2:20 AM CDT

Federal judge was diagnosed with brain disorder caused by alcohol abuse, court filing says

A Louisiana federal judge who was removed from several cases last year has been diagnosed with a brain disorder caused by severe alcohol abuse, according to allegations in court documents released Thursday. The documents said U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi has been diagnosed with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and is living in…

Apr 13, 2017 4:22 PM CDT

Supreme Court lets stand ruling in favor of ABA in blind man’s LSAT disability suit

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday let stand a ruling in favor of the ABA in a suit by a blind man who claimed accreditation standards discriminate against law school applicants with disabilities. The Supreme Court denied cert in the case of Angelo Binno, who claimed three law schools had…

Mar 28, 2017 3:24 PM CDT

Lawyer pleads guilty in $550M disability fraud scheme, admits bribing administrative law judge

A Kentucky lawyer who once called himself “Mr. Social Security” has pleaded guilty to allegations that he submitted false medical documents and bribed an administrative law judge to approve claims, obligating the government to pay more than $550 million in lifetime disability payments. The lawyer, 56-year-old Eric C. Conn of…

Mar 27, 2017 2:58 PM CDT

The Brain Defense: Vets with head trauma, stress find mercy in court

Lawyer Brock Hunter, at left, has developed a specialty in representing veterans charged with crimes outside the military justice system. He and his colleagues in this area offer a version of the brain defense, an approach that considers the possible influence of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and traumatic brain injury caused by their military experience on their clients’ criminal behavior.

Mar 1, 2017 11:20 AM CST

Lawyer says she was asked to resign over disability suit; is courthouse accessibility an issue?

For some lawyers with disabilities, it can be difficult to get to court and to present arguments before judges, according to two lawyers who are raising concerns in a New York Times op-ed and a lawsuit. One lawyer, Diana Lewis, told of the difficulties in a lawsuit claiming she was…

Feb 24, 2017 7:00 AM CST

Supreme Court rules for girl who wanted to bring her service dog to school

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the family of a Michigan girl with cerebral palsy can pursue a disabilities suit against her school for banning her service dog. Justice Elena Kagan wrote the unanimous opinion (PDF) finding that, based on the lawsuit allegations, the family was not required…

Feb 22, 2017 12:56 PM CST

Jan. 19, 1988: Woman wins the right to be homeless

Joyce Patricia Brown’s case had provoked national debate on the moral and ethical boundaries of dealing with homelessness and mental illness: Was the object to help the mentally ill or to clear affluent neighborhoods of human nuisance?

Jan 1, 2017 12:30 AM CST

Law firms file and settle dozens of ADA suits claiming websites aren’t accessible to the blind

Since the beginning of 2015, more than 240 businesses have faced federal lawsuits claiming their websites are inaccessible to the blind in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The suits often settle quickly for between $10,000 and $75,000, with most of the money being used to cover attorney fees…

Nov 1, 2016 3:21 PM CDT

AARP suit claims wellness-program regulations allow employers to coerce participation

An AARP lawsuit claims new regulations governing workplace wellness programs violate laws barring genetic and disability discrimination. The AARP suit (PDF) filed on Monday challenges the rules issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, report the National Law Journal (sub. req.) and the New York Times. The group is seeking…

Oct 26, 2016 11:04 AM CDT

Judge tosses suit claiming San Francisco’s open-air pissoir violates privacy rights

A superior court judge in San Francisco has tossed a lawsuit that claimed an open-air pissoir in a city park was a public nuisance that violated the right to privacy. Judge Harold Kahn dismissed the case in a Sept. 30 order (PDF) that found the pissoir in Mission Dolores Park…

Oct 11, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

Law exempts homeless, disabled woman from paying $15 a month in court costs, state high court rules

A homeless woman with bipolar disorder does not have to pay $15 a month toward court costs for her convictions on charges of disorderly conduct and harassment, the Washington Supreme Court has ruled. In a decision on Thursday, the court said Briana Wakefield struggles to meet her basic needs and…

Sep 23, 2016 10:16 AM CDT

Prenda Law attorney who had switched to ADA suits is suspended for earlier ‘copyright trolling’ work

A Minnesota lawyer whose practice has recently focused on suing businesses for ADA violations was indefinitely suspended from practicing law for his past legal work targeting people who illegally downloaded pornographic videos. Conduct allegations against Paul Hansmeier include discovery abuse; willfully violating court orders; and lying to the court about…

Sep 16, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

Autism awareness project trains Pennsylvania’s juvenile judges

For children with autism, social interaction, communication and behavioral development are common challenges. Those challenges are compounded when an autistic child gets wrapped up in the criminal justice system.

Sep 1, 2016 3:50 AM CDT