Why One School District Spent $1 Million Fighting Special-Education Attorney Tim Adams’ Client (Part 2)

The California Appellate Law Podcast

Last time, we set the table with special-education attorney Tim Adams to discuss the big 9th Circuit win for parents of kids with IEPs (individualized education protocols). Now we dig in to Irvine Unified School District v. Landers and Gagliano.

After covering the fact that the school district, to get out of helping a dyslexic student get the help she needed, spent over $1.13 million on its attorneys in over five-years of litigation involving a “trial by experts.” In this discussion, Tim Adams explains that IEPs are a constitutional right, so school districts are not legally permitted to consider their costs. Yet school district spokespersons take to the press to decry how these lawsuits are breaking the bank. So what is going on here?

Tim Adams’ biography.

Appellate Specialist Jeff Lewis' biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Appellate Specialist Tim Kowal's biography, LinkedIn profile, Twitter feed, and YouTube page.

Sign up for Not To Be Published, Tim Kowal’s weekly legal update, or view his blog of recent cases.

The California Appellate Law Podcast thanks Casetext for sponsoring the podcast. Listeners receive a discount on Casetext Basic Research at casetext.com/CALP. The co-hosts, Jeff and Tim, were also invited to try Casetext’s newest technology, CoCounsel, the world’s first AI legal assistant. You can discover CoCounsel for yourself with a demo and free trial at casetext.com/CoCounsel.

Other items discussed in the episode:

• Irvine Unified School District v. Landers and Gagliano, No. 22-55286
• Why One School District Spent $1 Million Fighting a Special-Education Student - WSJ
• Episode 69, Special Education Law with Tim Adams
• Videos from this episode will be posted at Tim Kowal’s YouTube channel.