Scott Louis Panetti v. Nathaniel Quaterman, Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justic, Correctional Institutions Division, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 06-6407 -- "[A] prisoner is not competent to be executed if he has a mental disorder or disability that significantly impairs his or her capacity to understand the nature and purpose of the punishment, or to appreciate the reason for its imposition in the prisoner's own case."

Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New Eengland, 2005 WL 2646471 (Appellate Brief) (U.S., Oct 12, 2005), (NO. 04-1144)

Eric Michael Clark v. State of Arizona, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 05-5966

Hawaii v. Aiwohi, Hawaii State Supreme Court, No. 26838

United States v. Georgia & Goodman v. Georgia, 2005 WL 1811061 (Appellate Brief) (U.S., Jul 29, 2005) (NO. 04-1203, 04-1236)

Aetna Health Inc. et al., Petitioners, v. Juan Davila, Respondent. Cigna Healthcare of Texas, Petitioner, v. Ruby R. Calad, Respondent., 2004 WL 177033 (Appellate Brief) (U.S., Jan 22, 2004) (No. 02-1845, 03-83)

Grutter v. University of Michigan (No. 02-241) -- "The First Amendment, in combination with the deference historically given to educational decisions, counsel against any broad and sweeping judicial decision to prohibit undergraduate and professional schools from implementing race- and ethnicity-conscious programs designed to promote and obtain diversity. This is true with respect to all post-secondary educational institutions. However, there is heightened urgency in the context of our Nation’s medical schools and their ability to produce, in aggregate, a cohort of graduates who are culturally and technically competent to address the health care needs of our increasingly multicultural society."

John Geddes Lawrence and Tyron Garner v. State of Texas (No. 02-102) --
"Whether Texas’ “homosexual conduct” law, Texas Penal Code § 21.06, which prohibits certain forms of private, consensual sexual activity only between persons of the same sex, violates the Due Process Clause or Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."

Harold I. Eist, M.D. v Maryland State Board of Physician Quality Assurance (Civil Case No. 240300) -- "The Board has undermined the therapist-patient privilege and threatened the ability of therapists to effectively treat patients by unlawfully circumventing judicial supervision of its administrative subpoena power."

South Carolina v. Regina D. McKnight (No. 02-1741) -- This brief argues that the prosecution of Ms. McKnight will make thousands of South Carolinian women suffering from a stillbirth vulnerable to homicide charges if they engage in any conduct during their pregnancy believed to be harmful to the fetus – whether or not that conduct is illegal. The brief explains that this kind of prosecution flies in the face of recognized protocols for treating mothers who suffer stillbirths – to provide physical and psychosocial support for dealing with the resulting grief and feelings of self-blame – by subjecting them to criminal investigation. ... [T]his was an irrational prosecution based largely on the drug hysteria that has historically driven South Carolina’s policies towards pregnant women who use drugs.

Sell v. United States (No. 02-5664) -- [On] whether a government can justify involuntary medication to restore a criminal defendant’s competence to stand trial. The APA’s view is that the government broadly can justify such medication on several conditions, most importantly that such medication is medically appropriate for the individual, i.e., warranted on the normal medical grounds balancing the benefits of the medication to the patient against the risks of side effects.

Tennessee v. Lane (No. 02-1667) -- "...Congress properly exercised its power under § 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment when it abrogated the States’ Eleventh Amendment immunity for violations of Title II of the ADA, and Title II represents a congruent and proportional response to the longstanding pattern of State constitutional violations."

Kansas (state), Petitioner v. Michael T. Crane, Respondent / Supreme Court (No. 00-957) -- In regard to the Kansas Sexually Violent Predator Act, "[t]he APA and its members have a strong interest in ensuring that psychiatric hospitalization be reserved for proper care and treatment of patients, not as a means of preventive detention that simply substitutes for the criminal justice system."

Rush Prudential HMO, Inc., Petitioner v. Debra C. Moran and State of Illinois, Respondents / US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (No. 01-1021)
Argues that provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) do not preempt the right of states to enact laws requiring independent review of the medical-necessity determinations of HMOs acting as insurers. "...[I]ndependent review laws lie at the heart of the traditional state regulation of insurance and health care and have many benefits for patients, physicians, and society as a whole."

Unites States of America, Appellee v. Aaron Gomes, AKA Lamont Keaton, Defendant-Appellant / US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (No. 01-1143) -- "[O]n whether a government can justify involuntary medication to restore a criminal defendant’s competence to stand trial, [t]he APA’s view is that the government can justify such medication, in cases like the present, as long as such medication is medically appropriate for the individual, i.e., warranted on the normal medical grounds balancing the benefits of the medication to the patient against the risks of side effects."

Harold Lewis, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Kmart Corporation, Defendant-Appellant / US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (No. 98-2719) -- Demonstrates that differential benefit caps for "mental" versus "physical" disabilities under a long-term disability insurance policy constitute disability based discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Lori Pegram, M.D., Carle Clinic Association, and Health Alliance Medical Plans, Inc., Petitioners v. Cynthia Herdrich, Respondents / US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (No. 98-1949) -- "The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ... was designed to protect beneficiaries of employee welfare plans from abuses by plan fiduciaries. Congress has never suggested that ERISA's protections do not apply to the millions of Americans who rely on employer-provided managed-care health plans."

Tommy Olmstead, Commissioner, et al., Petitioners v. L.C. and E.W., each by Jonathan Zimring as guardian ad litem and next friend, Respondent / US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (No. 98-536) -- "Depriving an indivual of the important behefits of community integration, unless such a setting is inappropriate for the individual according to reasonable professional judgment, is discrimination under the ADA." Financial burden is not cause for public entities to fail to provide community alternatives for "Congress clearly understood that 'the integration of people with disabilities will sometimes involve substantial short-term burdens, both financial and administrative'--justified by the prospect that 'the long-range effects of integration will benefit society as a whole' (H.R. Rep. 485, Part III, at 50)."

State of Kansas v. Leroy Hendricks (5.6MB) / Supreme Court (No. 95-1649; 95-9075) -- The Kansas Sexually Violent Predator Act provides for the confinement of individuals who are not mentally ill under the normal standards justifying civil committment.

State of Washington, Christine O. Gregoire, Attorney General of Washington, Petitioners, v. Harold Glucksberg, M.D., Abigail Halperin, M.D. Thomas A. Preston, M.D. and Peter Shalit, M.D. Ph.D., Respondents / Supreme Court (No. 96-110) -- "This Court's due process jurisprudence does not provide a bvasis for finding a constitutional liberty interest in obtaining a physician's assistance to commit suicide."

Susan Rockwell, Appellant, v. Cape Cod Hospital, Dr. Joan M. Corr, Dr. Benjamin Ianzito Appellees / US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (No. 93-1581) -- Appellant claims a violation of constitutional rights in the emergency commitment and use of restraint and medication by private physicians in a private hospital.

David E. Riggins v. State of Nevada / Supreme Court (No. 90-8466) -- Is the State justified in the continued use of antipsychotic medication to maintain competency against the wishes of the defendant?

In re Sion Mitrany United States of America v. Steven Diamond / US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (No. 91 CR 1467) -- This case concerns the availability of the psychotherapist-patient privilege in federal court cases that are governed by federal law.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey / US Court of Appeals for theThird Circuit (No. 91-744, 91-902)

Michael Owen Perry v State of Louisiana / US Supreme Court (No. 89-5120) -- This brief addresses the question whether the state court order directing the petitioner be involuntarily medicated for the purpose of restoring his competence to be executed is consistent with the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment.

Terry Foucha v. State of Louisiana / Supreme Court (No. 90-5844) -- Should a state have the right to commit indefinitely an insanity acquittee who is no longer mentally ill based on his dangerousness.

California Association of Psychology Providers v Peter Rank, Director, Department of Health Services / Supreme Court of California (No. S002524) -- Allowing psychologists to diagnose and to formulate and implement treatment plans for hospitalized patients is inconsistent with sound health care practice.

State of Minnesota v Janet Hodgson / US Supreme Court (No. 88-805~ 88-1309) -- Whether a state can burden a minor's constitutional right to decide whether to terminate her pregnancy by requiring in every case that one or both parents be notified of her decision without providing an effective~ confidential and expeditious alternative procedure that does not require parental notification.

State of Ohio v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health, et al. / US Supreme Court (No. 88-805; 88-1309) -- Whether a state can burden a minor's constitutional right to decide whether to terminate her pregnancy by requiring in every case that one or both parents be notified of her decision without providing an effective~ confidential and expeditious alternative procedure that does not require parental notification.

William Wilkerson v. Louis Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human Services / US Court of Appeals for the third Circuit (No. 1989) -- Although once thought to be a voluntary condition for which disability benefits ought not be paid~ alcoholism is now recognized in the law to be a potentially disabling disease without other impairments, and despite medical and legal opinion that alcoholism standing alone can be disabling~ the Secretary continues to apply regulations that effectively require a showing of end-organ damage before benefits are awarded.

Jane Doe v. United States of America / US Supreme Court (No. 88-7388) -- A previous court decision (9th Circuit Court) erodes confidentiality and undermines the patient-therapist relations.

Washington (state) v. Walter Harper / US Supreme Court (No. 88-599) -- Circumstances in which antipsychotic medications may be administered to objecting prisoners in a prison - run mental facility.

William L. Webster v. Reproductive Health Services / US Supreme Court (No. 88-605) -- Right to privacy in medical treatment decisions.

Wisconsin (state) Department of Health and Social Services v. Otis Bowen, Secretary of Health and Human Services / US Supreme Court (No. 86-648) -- Should the physician decide whether an individual should be admitted for inpatient services and determine length of stay?

Michael M. Smith v. Allyn R. Sieloff, Virginia Department of Corrections / US Supreme Court (No. 85-5487) -- Psychiatrists as expert witnesses, confidentiality.

Otis Bowen, Secretary of Health and Human Services v. New York (city) / US Supreme Court (No. 84-1923) -- Denial of benefits to the mentally ill using 'covert policy.'

Richard Thornburgh v American College of OBGYN and Eugene Diamond v. Allen Charles / US Supreme Court (No. 84-495~ 84-1379) -- Right to privacy.

Terry Allen v. Illinois (state) / US Supreme Court (No. 85-5404) -- Whether 5th amendment privilege against self incrimination applies to proceedings under the Illinois sexually dangerous persons act.

Connecticut (state) Department of Income Maintenance v. Margaret Heckler, Secretary of Health and Human Services / US Supreme Court (No. 83-2136) -- Whether a limitation in the medicaid law on the use of federal funds to reimburse states for the care of patients in 'institutions for mental disease' should be confined to traditional mental hospitals or should be extended to cover newly developed 'intermediate care facilities' that serve residents with mental conditions calling for a lesser level of care.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts / US Supreme Court (No. 84-325) -- Does the state have the authority to regulate the content of health insurance policies to ensure that that they provide adequate levels of health coverage?

Glen B. Ake v. Oklahoma (state) / US Supreme Court (No. 83-5424) -- Whether an indigent defendant is entitled to a psychiatric expert at state expense to rebut the prosecution's use of psychiatric testimony to prove future dangerousness.

New York (state) v. Robert Uplinger and Susan Butler / US Supreme Court (No. 82-1724) -- 'May the state punish an individual...in which he solicited another adult to engage...in private sexual conduct...'

United States of America v. Jefferson Leatherman / US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 83-2057) -- A committed person's right to refuse medication.

Planned Parenthood Association of Kansas City v. Missouri (state) / US Supreme Court (No. 81-1255~ 81-1623) -- Right to abortion, freedom of choice.

Project Release, Carrie Green v. James Prevost, Ronald Goldfarb, Alfred Besunder, James Donnelly, Kevin Kearney, Nicholas Dunbar / US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (No. 82-7943) -- Whether due process permits the mentally ill to be committed only upon proof of a recent overt act, whether the state may give medication to committed patients~ even without their consent, whether due process requires hearings?

Robert Alton Harris v. R. Pulley, Warden / US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (No. 82-5246) -- Should psychiatric testimony be excluded because appellant was denied his 5th amendment rights when he submitted to a psychiatric exam without receiving special warnings or consulting with a lawyer.

Rubie Rogers v. Mark Mills / Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (No. SJC-2995) -- Whether the trial judge abused his discretion when he ruled that the psychologists who testified were not competent to give medical opinion or position.

Thomas Barefoot v. W. J. Estelle, Director, Texas Department of Corrections / US Supreme Court (No. 82-6080) -- Prediction of long - term dangerousness in capital punishment cases in Texas.

Mark Mills v. Rubie Rogers / US Supreme Court (No. 80-1417) -- Whether a state having validly committed a mentally ill patient is then constitutionally disabled from treating his illness with medication unless he consents.

Patricia R. Harris, Secretary of Health and Human Services v. Charles E. Wilson / US Supreme Court (No. 79-1380) -- Are supplemental social security benefits denied unfairly to patients in mental health facilities?

Pennhurst State School and Hospital v. Terri Lee Halderman / US Supreme Court (No. 79-1404; 79-1408; 79-1414; 79-1415; 79-1489) -- Do the mentally retarded have the right to the least restrictive habitation under the DD act?

Rubie Rogers v. Robert Okin / US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (No. 79-1649) -- Right to refuse medication and stay in the hospital.

Rubie Rogers v. Robert Okin, MD / US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (No. 79-1648) -- Involuntary administration of anti - psychotic medication, need for protection from liability for administration of medication of seclusion actions.

Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists v. Blue Shield of Virginia / US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (No. 79-1345) -- Third party reimbursement, necessity for psychiatric diagnosis, only physicians can diagnose illness and assure appropriate treatment, medical referral and consultation for services by psychologists is necessary and in accordance with requirements.

W.J. Estelle, Jr., Director, Texas Department of Corrections v. Ernest B. Smith / US Supreme Court (No. 79-1127) -- Can a psychiatrist predict dangerousness, should a defendant be able to rebut such testimony, can a defendant refuse to participate in a psychiatric examination if it will lead to future testimony?

Jerome Miller, et al. v. Marcel Youakim, et al. / US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (No. 77-742) -- Advocates extending AFDC-foster care program benefits to foster care children placed with relatives.

Jack B. Kremens v. Kevin Bartley / US Supreme Court (No. 75-1064) -- Should there be a blanket rule requiring immediate due process hearings in childhood commitment cases?

Robert Whalen, Commissioner of Mental Health of the State of New York v. Robert Roe and George Patient / US Supreme Court (No. 75-839) -- Confidentiality and state requirements that names of patients receiving certain prescription drugs be revealed to the state.

Ricky Wyatt, by and through his aunt and legal guardian Mrs. W.C. Rawlins, Jr. v. Taylor Hardin, Commissioner of Mental Health and the State of Alabama Mental Health Officer / US District Court for the Middle District of Alabama (No. 3195-N) -- Amending the court's standard 9 of the court's order in this case relating to the use of ECT with aversive and other experimental treatments

Vitaly Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California / Supreme Court of California (No. SF 23042) -- Confidentiality and predicting dangerousness of a patient.

J.B. O'Connor, MD v. Kenneth Donaldson / US Supreme Court (No. 74-8) -- The 14th amendment guarantees a right to treatment to involuntarily committed persons in state institutions, psychiatrists employed at those institutions should be immune from personal liability for non-treatment.

Joan Roe, Peter Poe, and Coe Press v. Jane Doe / US Supreme Court (No. 73-1446) -- Standards of confidentiality, right of a psychiatrist to publish case histories directed to the general public.

John Legion v. Casper Weinberger / US Supreme Court (No. 73-5467) -- Does denial of Medicaid benefits to patients in state and county mental hospitals violate the equal protection guarentee in the 5th amendment?

Mary Doe v. Arthur Bolton, Attorney General of the State of Georgia / US Supreme Court (No. 70-40) -- Right to abortion.

United States of America v. Archie W. Brawner / US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 22-714) -- In the Insanity defense, only medical experts can give testimony as to diagnosis, etc.

Vincent E. Jenkins v. United States of America / US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 16-306) -- Whether the trial judge abused his discretion when he ruled that the psychologists who testified were not competent to give medical opinion or position.