United States v. Georgia
| United States v. Georgia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Holding | |
| The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applies to state prisons. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Scalia, joined by unanimous |
| Concurrence | Stevens, joined by Ginsburg |
| Laws applied | |
| Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; U.S. Const. Amend. XIV | |
United States v. Georgia, 546 U.S. 151 (2006), was a
Congressional power under the Fourteenth Amendment, Section 5, making it applicable to prison system officials.[1]
Facts of the case
The petitioner, Tony Goodman, a
handicapped accessible. For example, the prison did not make toilet and bathing facilities accessible to him, such that he was occasionally forced to sit in his own human waste.[2][3] He was also injured multiple times while trying to transfer from his wheelchair to the shower or toilet himself, as assistance in these matters was denied.[4]
The position of Georgia was that state prisons were immune from suit for damages, claiming that the
U.S. Congress had exceeded its constitutional authority in authorizing suits for damages against states under ADA.[2]
Decision
The Supreme Court was unanimous in its decision. It ruled that Congress has the authority to apply ADA to the administration of state prisons to the extent that it relates to conduct that actually violates the Fourteenth Amendment.[1] Thus Congress was granted more authority over the States in this area of disability rights.[5]
See also
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 546
- List of United States Supreme Court cases
Notes
- ^ a b United States v. Georgia, 546 U.S. 151 (2006).
- ^ a b c "Goodman & United States v. Georgia". www.bazelon.org. Retrieved October 15, 2009.
- ^ "United States v. Georgia & Goodman v. Georgia". www.law.duke.edu. Retrieved October 15, 2009.
- ^ Press release. "Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law -- Advocating for the Civil Rights and Human Dignity of People with Mental Disabilities". www.bazelon.org. Retrieved October 15, 2009.
- ^ "United States v. Georgia, U.S. Supreme Court Case Summary & Oral Argument". www.oyez.org. Retrieved October 15, 2009.
External links
- Text of United States v. Georgia, 546 U.S. 151 (2006) is available from: Cornell Justia Oyez (oral argument audio) Supreme Court (slip opinion) (archived)