Victory for Voters: SCOTUS Denies Stay Request
 
Pennsylvania's new map
In an historic victory for Pennsylvania voters, on March 19th, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request  from Pennsylvania legislative leaders to block the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's order adopting a fair congressional map for the 2018 primary and general elections.  The highest court in the nation recognized that our lawsuit was properly brought, and that a federal court cannot undue a decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court under its own Constitution.  A related federal case brought by other Republican legislators was also dismissed for lack of standing. Voters across the commonwealth will cast their ballots this year knowing that they no longer face district lines that seek to diminish their constitutionally guaranteed voice. 
 
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Last Call: Gerrymandering Meet-and-Greet April 4th
 
The Inn at Swarthmore, Credit: Booking.com
Want to support the Law Center while celebrating our recent gerrymandering lawsuit victory? Join us on Wednesday, April 4th at The Inn at Swarthmore. After a short program, meet and mingle during a cocktail reception with the attorneys that worked on the case and learn, from the source, what happened and what to expect moving forward. Reserve your tickets soon--spots are filling up! We hope you'll join us and your fellow proponents of redistricting reform in Pennsylvania!  

 
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Community Gardens Conclude Legal Actions to Secure Land
 
La Finquita
La Finquita
Two community gardens represented by the Law Center recently concluded their legal actions to secure the land they have been stewarding for decades. New Jerusalem was able to gain permanent title to two privately owned lots in North Philadelphia through an adverse possession lawsuit, in which the court found that they had unbroken ownership of the lots for 21 years. However, several of the lots they have transformed are still owned by the Philadelphia Land Bank. In South Kensington, Philadelphia Catholic Worker found a lock on the lot they had maintained since 1988, La Finquita. It had been purchased by a developer. After filing their own adverse possession lawsuit, they settled the case for a significant payment.  These cases highlight the challenges faced by gardens in Philadelphia that are at risk of being lost to gentrification and land insecurity. The Philadelphia Land Bank needs to start doing what it said it would do for green space in its strategic plan.
 
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Next week: Representing Threatened Gardens CLE, April 4th
 
Community gardening
Community gardening
Join the Public Interest Law Center's Garden Justice Legal Initiative for a crash course on the legal tactics and strategies involved in representation and protection of threatened gardens. The session, led by staff attorney Ebony Griffin, will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on April 4th in the United Way Building at 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The CLE will be followed by a clinic on April 18, 2018, where interested attorneys will be paired with clients facing a host of issues surrounding land access, land security, taxes, and more. 3.0 hours of CLE credit will be available for Pennsylvania attorneys.
 
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Two Families Assert Rights, Aim to Benefit Tenants City-wide

George Donnelly
George Donnelly represented the families for the Law Center
Two Philadelphia families are suing their landlords for neglecting to make repairs to their properties. Keisha Martin is suing ABC Capital, a firm that manages hundreds of properties in North and West Philly. Severe water damage led to the collapse of her kitchen ceiling, despite repeated requests for repairs. Corrine Morris and Charles Haygood are suing Home 4 Rent, a Brooklyn-based landlord. A broken water pipe forced Ms. Morris to haul water up from the basement while she was pregnant just to continue to do basic tasks like cooking.  The water in their house was eventually shut off due to the landlord's failure to hire licensed plumbers and the family was forced to abandon the home.

The Public Interest Law Center is helping tenants bring affirmative cases to assert their rights to healthy housing and to hold landlords, management companies, and their agents accountable. 
 
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Welcome New Communications Associate Jonathan McJunkin
 
Jonathan McJunkin
Jonathan McJunkin 
We are pleased to welcome Jonathan McJunkin to staff as our new Communications Associate! Prior to joining the Law Center, Jonathan served as an AmeriCorps VISTA doing communications work for College Possible Philadelphia, a college access organization. He has also worked as a freelance journalist and as a field organizer. We are very excited to have Jonathan on staff, so help us congratulate him by liking his post on our Facebook page

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New Guidance: All Students Legally Entitled to Challenging Goals

Students
Students learning
The U.S. Department of Education has released new guidance to ensure that all Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) allow students with disabilities the chance to reach reasonably challenging expectations.  This new guidance emphasizes every student's right to make appropriate progress towards measurable goals in light of his or her circumstances.  The guidance was issued as a result of last year's unanimous U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District . The Law Center filed an amicus (friend of the court) brief in the case.

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