Supreme Court Cases: Olmstead and Sutton Trilogy

The Supreme Court ruled in Sutton v United Airlines, Murphy v United Parcel Service, and Albertson’s Inc. v Kirkingburg (the “Sutton trilogy”), narrowing the definition of disability by holding that people who use “mitigating measures,” such as medication, may not be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The Supreme Court ruled in Olmstead v L.C., recognizing that the “unjustified institutional isolation of persons with disabilities is a form of discrimination” and holding that services must be provided in integrated, community-based settings when possible.