Argument preview: Police and disability rights

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By Lyle Denniston on Mar 21, 2015 at 12:03 am

 

At 11 a.m. on Monday, the Supreme Court will hold one hour of oral argument on the duties that federal law imposes on police officers in dealing with a mentally disabled person who may be armed and violent. Arguing for the local government and two police officers inSan Francisco v. Sheehan will be Deputy City Attorney Christine Van Aken, with twenty minutes of time. Representing the federal government as an amicus partly supporting the city will be Deputy Solicitor General Ian H. Gershengorn, with ten minutes. Teresa Sheehan, a San Francisco resident with a mental disability, will be represented by Leonard J. Feldman of the Seattle firm of Peterson Wampold Rosato Luna Knopp, with thirty minutes. Only eight Justices will participate in the case; Justice Stephen G. Breyer is not taking part because his brother, U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer, was the trial judge in the case.

 

Background

 

Difficult issues of police policy and humane concern confront officers