10/10/2025
Protecting Dignity for All: Why This Supreme Court Case Matters
Today, disability advocates are warning that an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case — Hamm v. Smith — could weaken long-standing protections for people with intellectual disabilities.
Since Atkins v. Virginia (2002), our nation has recognized that executing individuals with intellectual disability violates the Constitution. Yet the new case questions how we define “intellectual disability,” potentially reducing it to a single test score rather than a person’s full cognitive and adaptive profile.
As professionals who work closely with neurodiverse individuals, we know that intellectual disability is not defined by a number. It reflects a person’s lived experience — their learning, reasoning, and capacity for daily life.
Let’s continue to advocate for justice that honors both science and humanity.
Read more from The Arc:
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The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear Hamm v. Smith, a case that will determine how courts apply the death penalty to people with intellectual disability. The Arc is fighting back with an amicus brief urging the Court to uphold existing precedent and ensure that people with intellectual disability r...
