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Civil Rights & Legal Work

Current Court Cases

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In Olmstead v. L.C. (1999), the U.S. Supreme Court held that unjustified institutionalization of people with disabilities may constitute discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Starting in 2005, Access Living and a coalition of public interest organizations and private legal firms working on a pro bono basis brought three landmark class-action cases against the State of Illinois for its failure to implement Olmstead. All three of the cases have been settled and the consent decrees have been approved by the court.

Here is information about the landmark class action cases:
Ligas v. Hamos: Court Approves Landmark Agreement Expanding Community Living Opportunities for People with Developmental Disabilities in IllinoisA groundbreaking Consent Decree in Ligas v. Hamos, finalized on June 15, 2011 in the federal district court in Chicago, will dramatically expand community living options for people with developmental disabilities, while assuring that those who choose to live in larger facilities may continue to do so.
Williams v. Quinn: Olmstead victory for people with mental illness in Illinois Thousands of persons with mental illnesses in Illinois took a significant, critical step toward independence and dignity after a federal judge today gave final approval to an historic agreement
Video -- A Case for Community Reform in IllinoisThe 1999 Olmstead U.S. Supreme Court Decision declared that the unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities in discrimination. Yet, Illinois continues to institutionalize thousands of people with disabilities unnecessarily, failing to give them the choice to live in the community. This video chronicles the history that led to three class action civil rights cases against the State of Illinois. As a result of the consent decrees in these cases, thousands of people with physical, developmental and psychiatric disabilities will be given a choice to live in the community.
Enforcing the housing rights of people with disabilitiesAccess Living is one of the few Centers for Independent Living in the country with a legal department. Here is a brief description that covers some of Access Living’s Fair Housing legal work.