THE DUFFY LAW BLOG

Title IX protects students and employees of schools from any type of sex discrimination. If sex discrimination does occur, you have the right to report the discrimination to your school’s Title IX office or to a trusted school employee. When you file a complaint, you should expect that the school will take the necessary action to resolve the matter and protect you from further discrimination. However, too often, when students report discriminatory acts, instead of getting ...

On October 2nd, the Department of Education and Secretary Betsy DeVos made yet another announcement that raised concerns among many disability advocacy groups across the United States. The Department stated it was rescinding 72 different guidance documents relating to the rights of disabled students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Rehabilitation Act. The rescission comes as part of the Trump administration’s widespread effort to reduce the number of regulations and guidance documents ...

In the recent Senate Judiciary hearings that ultimately led to the confirmation of new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, much speculation revolved around the memories Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault at a high school gathering more than 30 years ago. Dr. Ford could not recall certain details, such as what time she arrived at the gathering or who drove her home. However, other details, especially those of the alleged assault itself, ...

Forensic science is always evolving and now Connecticut law is evolving with it. A new law in our state authorizes convicted individuals to request a new trial based on newly discovered DNA or other forensic evidence at any time after a conviction. In the past, defendants only had three years during which they could request a new trial for this reason. The new law eliminates the time limit, acknowledging that discoveries that challenge prior forensic evidence ...

In a supposed attempt to curb the fentanyl problem in the U.S., Congress members proposed amendments to the Controlled Substances Act as it relates to fentanyl. In short, the bill aims to increase mandatory minimum prison sentences for possessing or selling smaller amounts of fentanyl. While Congress claims these harsher laws will curb fentanyl supply and demand, increased mandatory minimum sentences will likely not have the intended effects and will only cause a different set of ...