Special Needs Law at Fabisch Law, L.L.C.
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Statutes and Regulations


Federal Special Education Statutes
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  • Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504
  • Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Family Educational Rights Act
  • Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Federal Special Education Regulations
  • IDEA Regulations
  • Section 504 Regulations

Massachusetts Special Education Regulations
  • MADESE Regulations

Rhode Island Special Education Regulations
  • RIDE Regulations

Notable Cases


US Supreme Court Cases
  • Schaffer v. Weast, 546 US 49 (2005) - Held that the burden of persuasion in an administrative action challenging an IEP is on on the party seeking relief, whether that is the disabled child or the school district.  
  • Arlington Central School District v. Murphy, 548 U.S. 291 (2006) - Held that prevailing parents are not entitled to recover witness fees in IDEA actions. 
  • Winkleman v. Parma City School District, 550 U.S. 516 (2007) - Held that parents have rights under IDEA, independent of their child, that they may seek to enforce on their own. 
  • Forest Grove School District v. T.A., 557 U.S. 230 (2009) - Held that parents may seek reimbursement for placing their child in a private school even if the child had not previously received special education and related services in the public school. 
  • Burlington School Committee v. Massachusetts Department of Education, 471 U.S. 359 (1985) - Held that a school district that fails to provide a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) may be required to reimburse parents for the cost of private schooling.
US Circuit Court Cases
  • Coming Soon

Support Organizations and Other Resources


National Special Education Organizations

  • Council for Exceptional Children
  • Education Law Association
  • National Center For Learning Disabilities
  • Autism Link

National Disability Specific Organizations

  • Autism Speaks
  • National Autism Association
  • Autism Society 
  • National Fragile X Foundation
  • United Cerebral Palsy
  • Attention Deficit Disorder Association
  • International Dyslexia Association
  • Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • American Council of the Blind

Rhode Island Organizations
  • Rhode Island Parent Information Network
  • Special Olympics Rhode Island

Massachusetts Organizations
  • Federation For Children with Special Needs