In recognition of Pro Bono Appreciation Week, we are highlighting some of the victories that wouldn’t have been possible without our pro bono partners. This is the first of four posts we’ll publish this week.
The Voting Rights Case – Johnson et al v Bexar Co Cause No. SA-22-CV-00409-XR
On April 27, 2022, three visually impaired individuals and two non-profit organizations comprising visually impaired and otherwise disabled Texans—all of whom were eligible and wanted to vote by mail in secret and free from intimidation—filed suit against Defendant Jacquelyn F. Callanen, in her official capacity as the Bexar County Elections Administrator, and Defendant Bexar County, Texas. Plaintiffs were unable to vote by mail, in secret, and free from intimidation—because Defendants provided mail-in ballots to eligible voters in paper form only. Voting by mail in Bexar County was inaccessible to blind or low-vision voters, and other voters with disabilities that prevented them from marking a paper ballot.
William Logan, Jason Rudoff, Katy Preston, Rachel Thompson, and Michael Murphy, all of Winston & Strawn, along with co-counsel Eve Hill of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, litigated this case on behalf of the plaintiffs and all Texans with visual impairments and other disabilities that prevent them from completing a paper ballot. The DRTx attorneys, along with the zealous trial advocacy of all of the pro bono volunteer lawyers, obtained a phenomenal result for the Plaintiffs. As one of the most pivotal elections in American history approaches – DRTx and our pro bono partners have secured the rights of millions of Texans with disabilities to exercise their right to vote without barriers or obstruction.
The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) recently honored DRTx with the advocacy award for our relentless work in advancing the rights of Texans with disabilities to vote. Read more about the 2024 NDRN voting rights advocacy award and see our voting rights resources.
Our thanks to Winston & Strawn and Brown, Goldstein & Levy for making this victory for Texans with disabilities possible.