Filed Date: Sept. 16, 2008
Closed Date: Nov. 7, 2008
Clearinghouse coding complete
This is a case about a protection and advocacy agency’s (P&A) access authority. On September 16, 2008, Disability Rights North Carolina, North Carolina’s P&A, filed this lawsuit against the Wake County School District (Wake County) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Represented by itself, Disability Rights North Carolina alleged that Wake County violated the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights of Act (DD Act) and Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights Act (PAIR Act) when it denied them access to a classroom that served students with autism and records concerning students in the classroom. Judge Terrence William Boyle presided over this matter.
This lawsuit began after Disability Rights North Carolina received complaints concerning a Wake County operated middle school classroom for children with autism. The complaints alleged that students were inappropriately restrained. Upon receiving the complaints, Disability Rights North Carolina began an investigation, but Wake County denied them access to the classroom to interview students and staff about the alleged incident. Moreover, Wake County refused to provide Disability Rights North Carolina with contact information records of students in the classroom so they could communicate with the students’ legal guardians. On November 7, 2008, Disability Rights North Carolina dismissed the case.
Summary Authors
NDRN (7/9/2023)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/12373190/parties/disability-rights-nc-v-wake-county-board-of-education/
Boyle, Terrence William (North Carolina)
Green, Iris Peoples (North Carolina)
Rittelmeyer, John R. (North Carolina)
Kennedy, Robert M. (North Carolina)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/12373190/disability-rights-nc-v-wake-county-board-of-education/
Last updated July 7, 2025, 10:48 p.m.