Washington Supreme Court Finds No State Constitutional Right to Counsel for Mother Who Appeared Pro Se at Trial and Lost Custody of Children to Father Who Was Represented by Counsel

Parties Voluntarily Dismiss Class Action Challenging Citizen Documentation Requirements for Medicaid

Supreme Courts Holds Federal Law Preempts State Regulation of Mortgage Lending Activities of Operating Subisidiaries of National Banks

In Suit Alleging Florida Medicaid Program Denies Children Preventive Care, Federal District Court Finds Several Medicaid Provisions Create Enforceable Rights

9th Circuit Holds Hawai'ian Private, Not-Profit School Receiving No Federal Funds May Give Preference to Native Hawai'ians In Its Admissions Policy

6th Circuit Holds That "Temporal Proximity" Of Firing and Pregnancy Is Sufficient To Show Nexus and Prima Facie Case Of Discrimination In Title VII Employment Discrimination Case

Oklahoma Supreme Courts Holds That Federal Arbitration Act Does Not Apply To Nursing Home Admission Contract And Contract’s Arbitration Provision Is Unenforceable Under State Nursing Home Care Act

Institutionalized, Disabled Medi-Cal Recipients Who Require Long-Term Care File Suit Alleging San Francisco Is Violating the ADA By Failing to Provide Community-Based Services

Massachusetts Supreme Court Finds Janitor Who Signed Franchise Agreement Was Not An Independent Contractor And Is Entitled To Unemployment Compensation

Washington Court of Appeals Holds Landlord Must Store Evicted Tenant's Property In Secure Area

District Court Holds That Where HHS Overpaid Part D Premiums, Its Own Regulations Require That It Must Issue Notice To Participants That They May Seek Waiver of Repayment; Preliminary Injunction Granted; Stayed on Appeal

Eighth Circuit Holds That Parent Incarcerated Due To Child’s Truancy Does Not Have Section 1983 Claim Because Decision Was A Judicial Decision, Not A Policy Decision Creating Municipal Liability

Washington Supreme Court Holds Suspension of Commercial Driver’s License For Failure To Pay Child Support Does Not Violate Procedural or Substantive Due Process Rights

Federal Circuit Holds That The Equal Access to Justice Act Permits Reimbursement Only For Paralegals At Cost, Not Market Rate in Contractor Case Against INS

Ohio Supreme Court Holds That Termination For Workplace Misconduct Resulting in Injury Constitutes Voluntary Abandonment of Employment Barring Workers Compensation

4th Circuit Holds That Maryland Law Requiring Large Employers to Spend 8% of Total Payroll On Health Insurance Or Pay Shortfall to State Is Preempted by ERISA

Texas Agencies Appeal State Court Summary Judgment Invalidating Agencies’ Rules On Home Equity Loans As Violative Of State Constitution Which Limits Such Lending

Proposed Settlement Reached in Class Action Suits Alleging GMAC’s Post- Repossession Notices Violated California Law Requires GMAC To Erase Deficiency Balances, Refund Consumers and Creates a Settlement Fund

Minnesota District Court Finds State Incorrectly Included Housing Subsidy As Income In Determining Eligibility for Welfare Benefits

10th Circuit Holds That Equal Access To Justice Act Attorney Fees Should Be Awarded In Social Security Disability Benefits Case Because The Reasonable Litigation Stance by Government Did Not “Cure” The ALJ’s Unreasonable Decision

Consent Decree Entered in Federal District Court Requring Arizona Under Medicaid EPSDT to Provide Incontinence Briefs To More Classes of Disabled Children

In Class Action, Washington Superior Court Finds State Use Of Emergency Rulemaking Power To Reduce Food Stamp Benefits Unlawful; Agency Should Have Followed Statutory Rulemaking Procedures

8th Circuit Holds Elimination of Statute of Limitations for Collecting Student-Loan Debt Does Not Violate Due Process In Suit Challenging Offset of Social Security Benefits

9th Circuit Holds FERC Used Wrong Standards In Deciding Rates Set In Contracts California Entered Into During Its 2001 Energy Crisis Should Not Be Modified

Ohio Supreme Court Holds That Landlord Is Not A Public Utility When He Meters and Charges Tenants For City Supplied Water Use and Sewage

10th Circuit Reverses ALJ Denial of SSA Disability Insurance Benefits to Applicant With Rheumatological Disorder Finding That ALJ Failed to Request Medical Records

Suit Filed in Washington District Court Alleges Faith-Based Group Has Violated Establishment Clause By Using Federal Grant Monies To Fund Its “Bible-Based” Marriage Counseling Services And Expand Religious Programming

Victims of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Co-Workers File Suit Alleging New York City Department of Corrections Sexually Discriminated Against Them in Violation of Title VII and State Law and Violated City Laws By Discriminating Against Sexual Assault Victims and Committing Gender-Motivated Violence

10th Circuit Holds That Equal Access Provision of Medicaid Act Is Not Enforceable Under Section 1983 in Suit Brought By Developmentally Disabled and Health Providers Challenging Colorado Waiting List For Home and Community-Based Services

District Court Denies Preliminary Injunction In Suit Alleging DHHS’ Policy Restricting Health Care Providers From Giving Information To Seniors and Disabled About Competing Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans Violates First Amendment Rights Finding It Unlikely Plaintiffs Will Establish Standing

8th Circuit Holds That Medicaid DME Requirements Are Not Enforceable Under Section 1983 But That Missouri’s Regulations Limiting DME Eligibility Are Preempted By Medicaid Act’s “Reasonable Standards” Requirement; Vacates District Court’s Denial of Preliminary Injunction

Seventh Circuit Holds that Craigslist is Not Liable For Discriminatory Housing Ads Because Not A "Publisher" Under Communications Decency Act

Arizona Court of Appeals Upholds Denial of Worker’s Compensation Based On Conflicting Medical Evidence; Concurring Opinion Would Deny Benefits Because Undocumented Worker Not an “Employee”

10th Circuit Holds That In Section 1983 Suit, Georgia Former TANF Recipient Does Not Have Standing To Seek Prospective Injunctive Relief For Child Support Payments

9th Circuit Overturns Summary Judgment in ADA Suit Holding Oregon County Should Have Considered Reasonable Accomodation Of Reassignment to Job That Would Likely Become Available Soon

6th Circuit Holds Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act and Housing Act Do Not Create Individual Rights Enforceable Under Section 1983

Arizona District Court Approves Settlement Requiring State Agency to Process Food Stamp Applications Within Time Frames Set Forth in Food Stamp Act

1st Circuit Upholds NLRB’s Order That Employer Reinstate Employees Illegally Terminated for Unionization Activities

Federal District Court Denies Motion to Dismiss Suit Charging Hospital’s Practice Of Billing Uninsured At Higher Rates Violates Illinois Consumer Fraud Act and Is Unconscionable

Washington State Minimum Wage Law Provision Exempting Haulers of Agricultural Commodities From Overtime Wage Requirements Applies To Non-Farmer-Owned Truck Companies

Retailers File Suit Alleging New York County Law Requiring Large Grocery Retailers - Unless Unionized - To Spend Specific Amount On Employee Health Care Violates ERISA, Equal Protection Rights and State Law

Supreme Court Holds That Title VII Anti-Retaliation Provision Applies to Actions That Are “Materially Adverse To A Reasonable Employee or Applicant” and That “Could Well Dissuade A Reasonable Worker” From Making A Charge of Discrimination

Joint Stipulation in Food Stamp Act Suit Declares Disabled Woman And Son Living With Her Mother Are A Separate Household

Tennessee Court Finds That Where Agency Knows Claimant Has Limited English Proficiency, It Must Send Notice Of Denial of Unemployment Benefits and Right to Appeal in Claimant’s Native Language

Federal District Court Grants Preliminary Injunction in Suit Alleging Ohio Voter Registration Law Violates First Amendment Rights of Voter Registration Workers and National Voter Registration Act; Court To Rule on Motion to Dismiss

Public Assistance Recipients Allege Ohio’s Failure To Implement A Voter Registration Program Through Public Assistance Offices Violates National Voter Registration Act; Motions to Dismiss Filed

Proposed Settlement Agreement in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Program Case Would Require Washington State to Provide Annual Individual Assessments, Choice, Prompt Delivery of Services and Timely Notice

District Court in California Denies Motion to Dismiss Class Action Alleging Inaccessibility of Target.com to Blind Violates ADA and State Law

Congressional Representatives File Second Circuit Amici Brief Arguing Presidential Signing of Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 Version Not Agreed To By House, Which Includes Changes In Medicare Payments for Medical Durable Equipment, Violates Constitution