FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1995 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 MEDIA ADVISORY Judge James Cacheris of U.S. District Court in Alexandria today issued a decision under the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibiting the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners from requiring applicants to answer a question about their mental health history. The Justice Department filed a friend of the court brief in the case. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick issued the following statement: "Today's decision reflects the ADA's prohibition against open-ended fishing into an individual's mental health history. Mental health inquiries unrelated to a person's current ability to practice law perpetuate stigmas about persons with mental disabilities. We hope that Virginia and other states will join those that already have adopted the Justice Department's position which was upheld today by this Court." A copy of the decision is available from the Justice Department. Contact: Myron Marlin 202-616-2765. # # # 95-106