The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): The Supreme Court Denies Expert Fees in Arlington Central School District v. Murphy

RS22465 -- The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): The Supreme Court Denies Expert Fees in Arlington Central School District v. Murphy

June 30, 2006

Summary

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides federal funding for the education of children with disabilities and requires, as a condition for the receipt of such funds, the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE). It also contains detailed due process procedures, including a provision for attorneys' fees. The Supreme Court has examined various issues under IDEA,(1) and in Arlington Central School District v. Murphy held, in a decision authored by Justice Alito, that parents who prevail in a suit against a school district may not recover expert witness fees.