- The Sutton Trilogy Sutton v. United Airlines, Murphy v. United Parcel Service, and Albertsons v. Kirkingburg
In the spring of 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a trio of critical cases involving the federal law definition of disability, which the ADA specifies is an “impairment” that “substantially limits” one or more “major life activities.” DREDF participated in these cases by writing an amicus curiae brief on behalf of Senators Harkin and Kennedy, former Senator Dole and Congressmen Hoyer and Owens, presenting arguments in favor of a broad interpretation of the ADA.
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the disability community, the decisions issued by the high court in June 1999 in Sutton v. United Airlines, Murphy v. United Parcel Service, and Albertsons v. Kirkingburg resulted in a significantly limited interpretation of the federal definition of disability. (June 1999) Read the brief. Read the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision.
Read “Defining Disability in the Aftermath of Sutton: Where Do We Go from Here?” By Arlene B. Mayerson and Kristan S. Mayer.
