News & Events

Case Updates

Oral Arguments Heard in S.H. v. LMSD

Both the Law Center and the LMSD presented oral arguments before the Third Circuit on May 23, 2013 in our case S.H. v. LMSD. S.H. is an African American student who was misidentified as having a learning disability when in fact she did not. This case is part of our ongoing litigation against the LMSD’s continued practice of segregating African American students through special education. Read more

Law Center & Partners File to Reopen Language Access Case

The Law Center, Education Law Center and Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP have filed to reopen a 1985 class action lawsuit to ensure immigrant and refugee parents and students receive access to language services. Read more

Right to Know Request: Philadelphia School Closing Information

The Law Center recently assisted Parents United for Public Education in appealing the denial of a Right to Know request to the School District of Philadelphia. Read more

Further Compliance Still Needed in Chester Case

At an April 17th hearing three class members testified about difficulty receiving services for their special education students. Read more

Settlement Agreement Approved in Lebanon Truancy Case

At an April 4th hearing Chief Judge Kane officially approved the Settlement Agreement in the Law Center’s class action suit against the Lebanon School District. Read more

Atención Padres del Distrito Escolar de Lebanon

El Acuerdo de Conciliación fue aprobado en el 4 de abril de 2013. Read more

Law Center & Dechert LLP Put a Stop to School District’s “Autism Shuffle”

Law Center’s Use of Stay Put Provision Enables Kindergartener to Remain in School

As part of the Philadelphia Project, the Law Center represents individual students and parents to enforce their rights. K.R., a kindergarten student, sought assistance from the Law Center when Discovery Charter School in Philadelphia attempted to force him out of the school and into a highly restrictive environment exclusively for students with serious emotional disturbance. Read more

Chester-Upland School District Releases Recovery Plan

The Law Center would like to receive thoughts and comments from parents and other interested people about the proposed plan; please contact us at 267-546-1305 or cusdsettlement@pilcop.org with your comments. Read more

Settlement Reached in Chester-Upland; Schools to Stay Open, Special Education Services Improved

A settlement has been reached in the Law Center’s class action litigation Read more

CUSD: Judge Finds IDEA Violations & ‘Cost Squeeze’

Judge Baylson found that special education students are not receiving a free and appropriate public education. Read more…

Sale of Central Club Property Halted, Saving Community Land

On May 15th, following a hearing in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, the Central Club was granted a six-month stay of sheriff’s sale of the lots they’ve cared for for over half a century. Read more…

Office of Open Records Grants Appeal Request

In our Right to Know case regarding payment rates Medicaid insurers pay to dentists and dental subcontractors, the Office of Open Records (OOR) granted our appeal in full noting that the rates of payment to dental subcontractors and dentists does not fall under the protection of trade secret or confidentiality regulations. OOR’s decision indicates that the Department of Public Welfare must disclose all requested documents within 30 days of the May 7th decision. You can read the full decision by clicking here or read more about this case by clicking here.

Court in FL Medicaid Trial Requests Briefs on Mootness Issue

In the Law Center and Boies, Schiller and Flexner LLP’s class action law suit against the Florida Medicaid Agency, the court recently requested briefs from both sides examining the issue of mootness of the case. Read more

Expansion of PA Medicaid in Accordance with Affordable Care Act

In December 2012, the Law Center filed a Right-to-Know request with the Office of the Governor and the Department of Public Welfare to obtain a report prepared by Deloitte LLP concerning the costs and benefits of expanding the Pennsylvania Medicaid program in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. Read more

Law Center Files Follow Up Right-to-Know Request

On October 3, 2012, the Law Center filed a RTK request to obtain documents that show what MCO subcontractors are paying dental providers because the information about the subcontractors was not known at the time of the initial request. Read more

OOR Grants Right to Know Request

In September 2012, OOR issued a decision granting in part and denying in part the Law Center’s RTK request. Read more

Florida Medicaid Trial Ends

Testimony began in our Florida Medicaid litigation on December 7, 2009, and following an extremely complex and intensive trial, the parties in our Florida Medicaid case have rested and now await a ruling from Judge Jordan.

Judge Awards $70,000 in Damages in Housing Fraud Case

The Law Center secured a favorable judgment for a man with an intellectual disability who was coerced into selling his home for $25.

Settlement Reached in Case of Racial Profiling of NJ Tour Bus Companies

Transportation officials had been targeting African-American owned companies at five times the normal rate. As part of the settlement, the NJ Motor Vehicles Commission will change their practices.

Redistricting Plan Accepted by Supreme Court

Almost two million residents have been spared from unnecessary legislative subdivision by the Law Center’s work with Hogan Lovells and petitioner Amanda Holt. Read more

Court Orders Release of Data in Voter ID Case

Judge Simpson issued a decision in April 2013 ordering the Department of State and Department of Transportation to release data that will allow the Law Center and its partners to better estimate the number of individuals who are currently without proper identification and would potentially be disenfranchised by the voter identification law. This decision comes after denial of numerous prior requests. Together with the ACLU, the Advancement Project and Arnold & Porter LLP, we will use this data as we prepare to litigate for a permanent injunction of the law at trial this July. You can read the Court’s Discovery Order here.

Hogan Lovells Honored for Pro Bono Redistricting Litigation

Hogan Lovells recently won the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s 2012 Pro Bono Award for the firm’s partnership with the Law Center in litigating against the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission’s unconstitutional redistricting proposal. Read more

Preliminary Injunction in Voter ID Case Extended!

Another victory in our ongoing fight against Pennsylvania’s Voter ID law! On February 14, the Commonwealth agreed to extend the preliminary injunction that was granted in October through the May 21, 2013 elections, thus ensuring that the tens or hundreds of thousands of people who do not have ID will be able to vote. In May, voters will thus be asked for – but not required to show – photo ID in order to Read more

Trial in Voter ID Case Scheduled for July 15, 2013

Judge Simpson has scheduled the trial on the permanent injunction of the voter ID law to begin on July 15, 2013 in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Plaintiffs are seeking to permanently enjoin the Commonwealth from implementing the voter ID law. Read more

Supplemental Injunction Requested to Stop Commonwealth from Misleading Voters

On October 19th, the Law Center, along with our partners at the Advancement Project, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, and Arnold & Porter, filed a petition asking the court to order the Commonwealth to stop disseminating information that falsely states or suggests that voters will be required to show ID to vote on November 6th. Read more

Victory in the Voter ID Case!

Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson has granted a partial preliminary injunction in the Voter ID case, leaving the law in place but delaying its implementation so that no one is disenfranchised on Election Day. Read more

Brief Filed to Oppose the LRC’s Revised Redistricting Plan

The Law Center and Hogan Lovells have filed a brief on behalf of Amanda Holt and 17 other petitioners to challenge the revised redistricting plan made by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission (LRC). Read more

Follow What’s Happening at the Voter ID Trial!

The Law Center and our partners began trial on July 25th in Commonwealth Court on our motion for preliminary injunction. See below for a synopsis of each day’s events. Read more

Upcoming Events

“Know Your Child’s Rights!” 2012-2013 Special Education Seminars

September 2012-May 2013

Amy Laura Cahn to Speak at EPA’s Beyond Translation Conference

This year’s May 16th conference will focus on “Taking Back Our Place by Greening Our Space.”

Chief Justice Castille and Civil Legal Justice Coalition Members to Speak at Public Hearing

Join us for a Senate Judiciary Committee public hearing on May 23rd in Philadelphia on the need for increased civil legal services for low-income individuals.

Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE on Autism

Sonja Kerr, the Law Center’s director of disability rights, will present at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s June CLE series on Autism.