News Release

NCD #01-328
May 29, 2001
Contact: Mark S. Quigley
202-272-2004
202-272-2074 TTY
mquigley@ncd.gov

National Council on Disability Extols Supreme Court Ruling in Casey Martin v. PGA Tour

WASHINGTON--The National Council on Disability (NCD) is delighted with today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in PGA Tour, Inc. v. Casey Martin (No. 00-24).

In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that Casey Martin, a professional golfer with a disability, has a legal right to ride in a golf cart between strokes at PGA Tour events. In the majority opinion, Justice John Paul Stevens said that Congress did intend for organizations such as the PGA Tour to give consideration to golfers with disabilities.

According to NCD chairperson Marca Bristo, "This is a major victory for Casey Martin, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and people with disabilities. We are delighted that the Supreme Court decided in favor of Mr. Martin. As the original author of ADA, the National Council on Disability has seen years of backlash against ADA and people with disabilities. This is a clear message from the Supreme Court that discrimination against people on the basis of their disabilities violates ADA and will not be tolerated."

"The Supreme Court's decision clarifies the responsibilities of public accommodations in making "reasonable accommodations" for patrons with disabilities. Public accommodations cannot rely on general rules and policies that are entirely fair as far as able-bodied people are concerned, and apply them in a way that unfairly affects people with disabilities. ADA creates the obligation for operators of public accommodations to consider requests for accommodations by people with disabilities in light of whether the accommodations truly have the effect of undermining the purpose, and not just the letter, of the rules and policies they have set down," Bristo added.