WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court appears sympathetic to a 12-year-old Michigan girl with cerebral palsy who wants to sue school officials for refusing to let her bring a service dog to class.
Most of the justices hearing arguments in the case Monday seemed to agree that federal disability laws allow Ehlena Fry to pursue the case in court.
Lower courts ruled against her, saying the dispute over the fluffy white goldendoodle named Wonder first had to go through a lengthy administrative process.
The issue is important to disability groups that want to remove cumbersome hurdles that they say discourage people from pursuing their legal rights.
Fry and her parents say federal laws allow them to bypass administrative hearings and go directly to court. The school district claims the family is trying to evade a process that Congress put in place that encourages parents and educators to informally resolve educational disputes.