No. 25-1351October Term 2025Before Arguments
Katrina Parker, Petitioner v. New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, et al.
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Case status
- Current stage
- Before Arguments
- Latest event
- Accepted by the Court
- Decision timing
- No window until argument is scheduled.
- What it's about
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Question presented
Whether, under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, a defendant bears any burden to demonstrate that an eligibility requirement is essential?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit / Accepted by the Court
- Area
Supreme Court case awaiting argument
Timing
Expected by late June 2026, if argued this term
The Court granted review but has not yet scheduled oral argument. Once argued, the median case reaches a decision in 94 days. Nearly all cases are decided by the end of the term in which they are argued.
Briefing
What it's about
Katrina Parker is asking the Supreme Court to review a Third Circuit case about federal disability-discrimination laws. The question is whether a defendant must show that an eligibility rule is truly essential under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Argument
The case is pending at the petition stage, and oral argument has not been scheduled. The petition says the federal appeals courts are split on whether defendants must show an eligibility rule is essential.
Impact
The answer could affect who carries the proof burden when a person with a disability challenges exclusion from a government program. For example, it could matter for someone with a disability who says a state-run service blocked access based on an eligibility rule.
What is the dispute in Parker v. New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission?
The petition asks whether a defendant must prove an eligibility rule is truly essential under two federal disability-discrimination laws.
Who could be affected if the Supreme Court takes Parker?
People with disabilities challenging government program rules, and public agencies defending those rules, could both be affected.
What happens next in Parker v. New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission?
The Court must act on the petition for certiorari (whether to hear the case); no oral argument date or decision window is available yet.
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 17, 2026
- Method
- Methodology