Advocacy Alert! The Center for Public Representation joined the American Civil Liberties Union and a diverse coalition of Supported Decision-Making advocates in filing a request to file an amicus brief in Britney Spears’ conservatorship case.
The amici argue that Ms. Spears the has the right to choose her own attorney, as she has expressed she would like to do. Amici urge the court to provide Ms. Spears with any tools needed to do select her own lawyer — including Supported Decision-Making if she wishes. The amicus brief was filed July 12, 2021 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Supported decision-making is another option that Ms. Spears may wish to use in selecting her own attorney. With supported decision-making, a person can use supports – including working with trusted advisors, mentors, friends, or professionals, to help them understand, consider, and make their own choices.
Amici urged the court to take steps to ensure that Ms. Spears can consider and explore the opportunity to learn about and use supported decision-making to select her own attorney, if she chooses.
Supported decision-making is also an example of a “reasonable modification” that a public entity, like this Court, may be required to provide or facilitate under the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or the Rehabilitation Act, in order to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to the Court’s proceedings and processes.
The coalition of organizations filing the amicus brief are a broad and diverse group of disability justice, self-advocacy organizations, elder justice, and civil rights organizations. The coalition members all work to advance Supported Decision-Making as a tool that allows people to retain their rights and exercise choice.
Read the amicus brief here.
Read the ACLU’s statement about the brief here.
For more background, read our statement on Britney Spears’ conservatorship case.
Coalition of organizations filing the amicus brief:
AIDS Legal Referral Panel
American Civil Liberties Union
The Arc of the United States
Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
Burton Blatt Institute
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
California Alliance for Retired Americans
Cardozo Bet Tzedek Legal Services
Center for Public Representation
Choice in Aging
Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center
Coalition for Elderly and Disability Rights
The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation
Communication FIRST
Disability Rights California
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Disability Rights Legal Center
Disability Voices United
Justice in Aging
Legal Aid at Work
Mental Health Advocacy Services
National Resource Center for Supported Decision-Making
Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities
TASH
Interested to learn more about Supported Decision-Making and how it can work?
