Yesterday, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge denied the state's motion to dismiss a class action lawsuit fighting for special education services for students with disabilities in Houses of Correction — and it was a strongly worded decision! (Read the full decision attached below) This case, filed in April 2024, jointly by the EdLaw Project of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, Latham and Watkins LLP, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, shines a light o

Yesterday, we paused to honor Gideon Day — a critical reminder that justice should never depend on your income or means. Gideon Day commemorates the landmark 1963 Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright, which established that the Constitution guarantees the right to legal counsel for people who cannot afford an attorney in criminal cases. It's a ruling that changed lives and one whose impact we still feel today. At YAF, we remain committed to supporting the EdLaw Project in