Disability Rights Legal Center (DRLC) strives to affect change through individual and impact litigation that protects those with disabilities. DRLC accepts cases involving:
- Discrimination, Mistreatment and/or Harassment by public or private entities based on disability. These cases, including discrimination across settings, involve housing, transportation, public places, schools, parks, telecommunications, law enforcement, jails and juvenile halls.
- Special Education focusing on systemic discrimination and denials of a free, appropriate public education (including due process hearings).
DRLC does NOT provide legal representation for the following types of cases:
- Criminal
- Employment
- Domestic Violence or Harassment
- Personal Injury
- Consumer Fraud
- Bankruptcy
- Unlawful Detainers or Foreclosures
- Applications or Appeals for Public Benefits (this includes representation at administrative hearings)
- Trusts/Wills/Estates/Conservatorships
- Traffic/Parking Violations
Case Acceptance Standards. Disability Rights Legal Center selects cases based on multiple criteria. Specifically, it seeks to provide representation to:
- Clients and communities that cannot otherwise afford representation, including low and modest income clients and communities,
- Cases that will benefit large groups of people with disabilities,
- Cases that have potential to establish, refine or expand important legal principles,
- Clients who have been turned away from other organizations,
- Cases that offer the opportunity to raise public awareness, and
- Underserved populations.
DRLC is a cross-disability law center, thus it strives to maintain a diverse caseload of legal issues related to a variety of disabilities. Prior to accepting a case for representation, DRLC must confirm it has proper resources and staffing to provide competent representation.
Grievances. If DRLC decides that it cannot help you and you disagree, you may file a grievance. The grievance procedures and form are located here and are available in Spanish.