Court Rejects Mental Health Case
Lawyer Blogs
[##_1L|1399685188.jpg|width="140" height="105" alt=""|_##]A Mississippi death row inmate whose lawyer had never tried a case and suffered from mental illness failed Monday to persuade the Supreme Court to take his case. The court did not comment in denying the appeal from Quintez Hodges, who was sentenced to death in 2001 for killing his ex-girlfriend's brother two years earlier. Hodges presented evidence that his attorney, Michael Miller, was abusing drugs around the time of his trial and suffered from mental illness. A little over a year after Hodges' trial, Miller's parents had him committed to a psychiatric hospital.
The state said Mississippi courts examined Hodges' claims and determined they lacked merit.
"Miller's commitment papers...clearly show that this was his first commitment," state Attorney General Jim Hood told the court.
Under prior Supreme Court rulings, defendants have to show that their lawyer was deficient and that the outcome probably would have been different with competent representation.
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Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.
Forte Law Group is one of only a very few law firms within the state of Connecticut that is dedicated to exclusively representing families and children with special needs.
Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.