2012 Amicus Brief Sign Ons

Anthony v. Garrity – Maryland Court of Appeals. Petition for cert submitted by Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP). Case involved a malicious prosecution case filed by an abuser against his victim’s daughter after he was prosecuted unsuccessfully for violation of a protection order.

Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin – Supreme Court of the United States. Brief submitted by National Women’s Law Center. Case involved the use of race-conscious admissions in higher education. Brief argued that racial diversity benefits all students and is important to breaking down harmful gender stereotypes and race-conscious admissions policies open pathways to opportunities for women of color.  NWLC Fisher Final brief

Commonweath v. Claybrook – Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Brief submitted by Women’s Law Project. Case involved sexual assault of a college freshman by three men in her dorm room and the lower court decision relied on misconceptions and myths about acquaintance rape and victim behavior, including the victim’s lack of resistance. The brief educated the court about the prevalence of sexual violence on campus and explained why the lower court’s reliance on the insufficient resistance and insufficient physical injury is unsupported by law and inconsistent with victim behavior. (Commonwealth v Claybrook WLP Amicus Brief)

Young v. UPS, Inc. – United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Brief submitted by ACLU Women’s Rights Project. Case involved pregnant worker placed on unpaid leave and UPS policy of denying light duty positions to pregnant workers while granting them to other employees. Brief argued that the treatment of the pregnant worker violated the plain language and the purpose of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien v. Mayor and City Council – United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit En Banc. Brief submitted by Maryland NARAL. Case involved challenge to the Baltimore City ordinance requiring crisis pregnancy centers to post signs stating that abortion services are not provided. Brief argued there is a compelling interest in protecting women from deceptive advertising practices.  (Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns v Baltimore en banc amicus FILED)  (Greater Baltimore v City of Baltimore Fourth Circuit Opinion)