The Wrightslaw Way

While investigating suspicious deaths in state institutions, the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy (VOPA) requested relevant records from state officials. Virginia refused, stating that a state-law privilege protected records from disclosure. VOPA sued the State agency in U.S. District Court. The District Court denied Virginia’s motion to dismiss. Virginia appealed to the Court of […]

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether police and social workers must obtain a warrant, court order, or parental consent before interviewing children at school about claims of sexual abuse. An Oregon police officer and protective services worker argue that, because details of child sex abuse are known only to the victim and […]

Jacqueline, a kindergarten student, was sexually harassed by a third-grade boy while riding the school bus. The child’s parents brought this to the attention of school administrators immediately. The principal offered to transfer the child to another bus. Her parents asked the school to put a monitor on the bus or transfer the boy to […]

Court to Revisit Tuition Reimbursement Issue in Forest Grove School District v. T. A. (08-305) On January 16, 2009, the Supreme Court added a special education case to their docket for this term. Forest Grove School District v. T. A. is a special education case about tuition reimbursement for a child who was never found […]