C.L. v. Del Amo Hospital – 9th Circuit Ruling on Certification of Service Animals and ADA

Speakers

Peter Blanck
Host: Peter Blanck, JD, Ph.D. –  Chairman Burton Blatt Institute – Syracuse University
Christopher Knauf
Christopher Knauf, JD, Director of Litigation, Disability Rights Legal Center
Jennifer Mathis
Jennifer Mathis, JD, Deputy Legal Director and Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Celia McGuiness
Celia McGuiness – Attorney, Derby, McGuinness & Goldsmith, LLP

Case Summary

In this episode of Disability Rights Today, we focus on the court case of C.L. v. Del Amo Hospital, Inc. In this case, the plaintiff C.L., had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions. She obtained a dog, with the intent to train the dog, Aspen, to be a service animal. While seeking inpatient treatment at Del Almo Hospital, the plaintiff’s dog was denied admission because her dog was not deemed a service animal. Please join us as we welcome three of the counsel for the plaintiff in this case: Christopher Knauf, JD, Disability Rights Legal Center, Founder Knauf Associates; Jennifer Mathis, JD, Deputy Legal Director and Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Celia McGuiness, Derby, McGuinness & Goldsmith, LLP. They are joined by Dr. Peter Blanck, JD, Ph.D. – Director of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University for a discussion of the facts of the case, issues of the case, arguments of the case, and discussion of implications for policy and practice moving forward will be our focus.

Keywords: ADA, service dog, public accommodation, dog training, PTSD

Recording