Tony Goodman v. Georgia et al.

Questions presented

SCOTUS records, cert granted 16 May 2005

Whether, and to what extent, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12131 et seq., validly abrogates state sovereign immunity for suits by prisoners with disabilities challenging discrimination by state- operated prisons, a question on which the courts of appeals are in conflict.

Opinion summary

Etalia.ai summary of the majority opinion

The case involved Tony Goodman, a paraplegic inmate in the Georgia prison system, who filed a lawsuit under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), claiming that he was denied access to facilities and services due to his disability. The central issue was whether Congress validly abrogated state sovereign immunity when it enacted Title II of the ADA as applied to cases involving prisoners' rights. The Supreme Court held that Goodman's claims were not barred by sovereign immunity because Congress had validly exercised its power under Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment in enacting Title II insofar as it applies to conduct that actually violates constitutional rights. This decision allowed Goodman’s suit against Georgia officials for monetary damages under the ADA to proceed.