Address: The Arc of Washington State, 2638 State Avenue NE Olympia, WA 98506
Phone: (360) 357-5596 | Toll Free: (888) 754-8798 | Fax: (360) 357-3279 | Email: info@arcwa.org
Through litigation, The Arc seeks to ensure that there is robust enforcement of disability and civil rights laws at all levels of state and federal courts, so that people with disabilities can live, work, and learn in the communities of their choice — free from discrimination. Individual lawsuits, system-change litigation, and amicus briefs provide opportunities to advance the rights of people with I/DD nationwide in all aspects of life. Throughout its history, The Arc has been involved in seminal disability rights lawsuits leading to the enactment of the IDEA and paving the way for the deinstitutionalization movement. By working to enforce disability and civil rights laws, The Arc empowers the members of our community to not only fight against injustice, but to choose the lives they want and to live in a world that protects their civil rights and human dignity.
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The Arc participates in litigation in jurisdictions throughout the country in multiple ways, including as counsel, as a party, and as amicus. The Arc’s litigation work covers a wide range of issues pertaining to the rights of people with I/DD in all aspects of life for the purpose of advancing the principles embodied in our organizational mission and position statements to promote and protect the civil and human rights of people with I/DD and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
Cases
Learn more about current and past cases The Arc is and has been involved in.
Amicus Briefs
Learn more about The Arc’s amicus work. Amicus briefs are submitted to the court by people and organizations who are not parties to the case itself, but who want to offer their expertise on the matters involved to assist the court in making a decision.
Since the pandemic began, The Arc, along with our state and national partners, has filed a number of complaints with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights challenging crisis standard of care plans, no-visitor policies, and inaccessible COVID-19 testing sites as discriminating against people with disabilities in states across the country. These complaints have resulted in critical victories that protect the rights of people with disabilities to receive equal access to medical care during this pandemic. The Arc is continuing to fight for the rights of people with disabilities to receive equal access to treatment as the pandemic continues.
The Arc has contributed to several pieces related to disability legal advocacy.
The Arc’s Legal Advocacy Committee is appointed by the President of our Board of Directors and serves as an advisory council to inform The Arc’s expertise and help The Arc make decisions about litigation it participates in. Learn more about our current Committee members below.