Legal Advocacy & Impact Litigation

We work strategically and collaboratively with co-counsel partners, community organizations, and named plaintiffs to bring impact litigation that represents broad classes of children and youth across multiple public systems.

Browse Legal Cases

Focus AreaCase Jurisdiction

StatusCase TypeLocation

Clark K. v Willden

Filing Date2006-11-30

The National Center for Youth Law first filed suit to reform the child welfare system in Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada in 2006. That lawsuit, Clark K. v. Willden (formerly Clark K. v. Guinn), was a class action on behalf of all children in the county's child welfare system.

Inactive

T.R. v. Dreyfus

Filing Date2009-11-24

NCYL is co-counsel in the case of T.R. v. Dreyfus, a child welfare reform class action lawsuit against the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

Active

Brazwell v. Wagner

Filing Date2010-03-23

This case challenged California's policy of denying cash assistance to relative caregivers when the children they care for get in trouble with the law and are returned home on probation.

Inactive

Henry A. v. Willden

Filing Date2010-04-14

This lawsuit charges Nevada and Clark County officials with failing to protect the health and safety of children in foster care. The suit seeks money damages for 13 children named in the lawsuit, as well as system improvements for several classes of children that represent more than half of the 3,600 children in foster care in Clark County, which encompasses Las Vegas.

Inactive

Dallas County Truancy Court

Filing Date2013-06-10

This civil rights complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice on June 12, 2013, concerns a particularly harmful aspect of the school-to-prison pipeline in Texas - the use of criminal courts to prosecute youth for truancy, and the way that school district's violations of students' civil and educational rights directly contribute to this problem.

Inactive

Loleta Schools Civil Rights Complaint

Filing Date2013-12-18

Loleta Elementary is the only non-charter school in Loleta, and was overseen by Sally Hadden who served as both the superintendent of the District and school principal. Many of the complaints specifically concern the treatment of Native American students by Ms. Hadden.

Active

Jessica K. v. Eureka City School District

Filing Date

NCYL brought this case on behalf of four students to challenge years of intentional discrimination by the District based on their race, sex, and disability status. The District has perpetuated a racially and sexually hostile environment in District schools, and has failed to properly evaluate, identify, and accommodate students with disabilities, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, and federal and state civil rights laws.

Active

Texas Education Agency Administrative Complaint

Filing Date2015-05-27

This complaint concerns the unlawful practice of thirteen Texas school districts forcing their most vulnerable students out of school through court procedures for truancy.

Inactive

SurvJustice v. DeVos

Filing Date2018-01-25

This lawsuit was filed on behalf of SurvJustice, Equal Rights Advocates, and Victim Rights Law Center, three national public interest organizations, to stop U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the Trump Administration's Title IX policy.

Active