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The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island (ACLU) and the Rhode Island Disability Law Center (RIDLC) have filed a federal civil rights complaint against the Supreme Court of Rhode Island and its Committee on Character and Fitness over inquiries on a questionnaire for admission to the Rhode Island Bar that the complaint alleges violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The complaint, filed with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, challenges the legality of three broadly worded questions that ask about applicants’ past history of drug or alcohol abuse, mental illness, or other disability, and require applicants to provide detailed information about any treatment they have had or are receiving.

By Philip Eil, journalist and RI ACLU plaintiff

By Johanna Kaiser, Communications & Development Associate