Dear All,

I am aware of some important precedents which Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs)have helped to set under the 2010 Equality Act and am trying to compile a brief digest of them.  If you have been involved with or have a particular insight into either published settlements established due to the content of the Act or have some personal knowledge of one or more cases taken under it, it would help greatly if you are willing to share any information with me.  I am equally interested in cases which you may know about and feel have been less than helpful in terms of the interpretations or positions resulting from their conclusion.

For these purposes, I am interested solely in cases which have been taken under any of the disability (or combined) heads of claim, or which have clear and direct application/relevance to Disabled People.  The other important factor or restriction upon the info I am currently seeking is that I only want details of cases taken in non-employment contexts, unless an Employment Appeals Tribunal (or higher employment jurisdiction decision) of which you are aware, sheds light on access to goods, facilities, services or education for Disabled People.  NB: case decisions reached in the lower courts cannot typically be viewed as precedents.

I know that Disabled People’s Organisations have often been at the centre of taking cases  and am particularly keen to gain a strategic insight into case management which you may have acquired from pursuing such  claims within your group or network.  If you think you may know someone who could help who is not on this list, please forward this query to them on my behalf.

Finally, if you know about a pending appeal or other pending matter relevant to this research, I would again appreciate you getting in touch.  I can promise to keep confidential any issues which you would not want at this stage placed in the public domain.

If you have a point related to this query which may further list discussion, please by all means share it with the whole list, otherwise please email me off-list on m.j.higgins@blueyonder.Co.uk and I will undertake to share with the list a digest of any relevant cases I hear about, provided I have the  consent to do so of the person disclosing the issue to me and/or of any other relevant parties

Yours in solidarity,

Mike Higgins

(in a personal capacity)