‘TIS THE SEASON
It’s been about four years since I last wrote a Holiday letter, so I thought it is about time to catch up with all of our friends about what we have been up to for the past year! We have done so many exciting things over the past year. We have had so many cases and programs and seminars.
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First of all, nothing beats a dog-friendly workplace. It’s a bit noisy at times, and all guests are not equally welcome – but our dogs, Lucy, Brodie, and Murphee, try to work together, but are not always the most sociable dogs. Word of advice – bacon.
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Lucy still considers herself the queen of the office.
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We consider her as our litigation sport dog
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Lucy joined me in an interview that WPLG's Layron Livingston did in our office. It was a story about an emotional support animal, so her input was essential.
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This is one of the rare times when Murphee is asleep and not trying to steal Lucy's toys
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The DIG team cannot be beat!
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Modeling Florida Animal Law Section t-shirts!
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We LOVE our interns!
We welcome law students. undergrads, and high school students to intern at DIG, and we try to give them as much of an experience-packed Summer as possible!
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All of the interns sit together and discuss the legal issues in the cases that each is assigned
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We also go to court and meetings, and here the interns are taking a picture with Public Defender Carlos Martinez
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Arnaldo Rios-Soto
People always ask me - How is Arnaldo Rios-Soto doing? Arnaldo lives in Orlando, and his family lives in Ocala, and he is doing a lot better. This is Arnaldo in a room in his new group home. He left Carlton Palms and he is doing a lot better. Officer Aledda is being tried in January for shooting at Arnaldo and his friend, Charles Kinsey, and once the trial of Officer Aledda is over, then Arnaldo will get back his favorite truck, Telefonica Cellular. Also, we will be able to continue Arnaldo’s case and ensure that Autistic people are safe on our streets and in our community. This struggle not only includes Arnaldo, but all other people that were at Carlton Palms and across Florida that are entitled to be in a safe, community-based setting where they can thrive!
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Sometimes you win, and sometimes you do not. Other times, you don't give up. Lisa and I had a trial with Kailea, her mom and her grandma, where they were denied a rental home. They were not permitted to install a chain lock in a home.
We could not get in Kailea's disability into evidence because her disability was too disturbing. We lost, and we are appealing. Disability is not too prejudicial for a jury!
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In the past year, we defined the rights of the Deaf to receive effective communication in hospitals. Now, Deaf patients and their companions are entitled to receive the same information to understand all medially relevant information in a hospital, and if the hospital staff knows that the patient is not receiving the same ability to communicate, damages for this type of discrimination is available!
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We are believers in the power of animals to assist persons with disabilities in everyday life. Service animals who are trained to assist, or emotional support animals to lessen the effect of a disability at home.
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Sometimes issues are so ridiculous, they are unbelievable. This year was no different:
- ultrasounds required of pregnant women
- denial of emotional support animals
- LGBT discrimination
- failure to allow a pool ramp
- denial of a closer parking space
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The right to family is where a child with a disability has a right to live with her family, and a parent with a disability has a right to his or her child. Marie Freyre died because she was taken away from her mother, and we won an appeal in December where the appeals court found that child protection officers could be liable because they took Marie away from her mom to a nursing home, and Marie died upon reaching the nursing home.
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One of my favorite things to do is our monthly Supper Social Club, which is the neurodiversity-palooza in Coral Gables where we have a dinner where everyone can join and socialize and have fun! I look forward to speaking with all of my friends, like Alexander, Carolina, Allan, Heath, and so many more!
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Our next supper social club is January 7, 2019
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LOCATION
California Pizza Kitchen, 300 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
DATE AND TIME
01/07/19
6:30pm -
01/07/19
8:30pm
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Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar
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After years of avoiding more work in the Florida Bar, I was persuaded to become invovled as the Chair-Elect, but I had a condition - A PUPPY PIT AT THE BAR CONVENTION - and it was so fun, and many dogs were adopted!!
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Michelle Suskauer and Mike Higer with Delilah
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Dori Foster Morales and Dogs!
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The Dogs in the Puppy Pit
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Nothing better than winning a bag with a dog
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As you probably know by now, human animal interaction is an important part of wellness.
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Stephanie Langer, Esq. - Kid's Rights Superstar
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This year, we recruited Stephanie Langer to head up our educational and social security caseload!
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Rising star Lisa Goodman tried two cases and did he own appellate argument. Soon I will be able to retire!
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2018 was the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. Over 50% of all fair housing claims are disability-based.
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I am proud to work for
HOPE, our fair housing organization in Miami-Dade and Broward. I am so glad that Keenya Robertson is on my side of the table!
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REV UP the Disability Vote
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REV UP Florida!
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) serves as the national coordinator of the REV UP! campaign, which aims to increase the political power of the disability community while also engaging candidates and the media on disability issues.
R
EV UP! stands for Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power! The disability community has been under-represented in the electoral process for far too long.
REV UP! Florida understands the importance of not only engaging voters with disabilities, but also engaging candidates for office on these often-overlooked policy matters. REV UP! Florida is comprised of stakeholders and advocates with a vested interest in bettering the lives of people with disabilities.
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Thank you to Tony De Palma and all the self-advocates, civil rights organizations, and disability organizations that have joined REV UP Florida!.
Thank you to Zach Baldwin for all of your guidance and support.
We look forward to an exciting 2019 with this project.
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