Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Barnes v. Gorman, 536 U.S. 181 (2002), was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 17, 2002.

[1][2] Gorman, a paraplegic, suffered serious injuries when he was transported to a Kansas City police station in a vehicle that was not equipped to accommodate people with disabilities.

Gorman sued several police officials and officers for disability discrimination, in violation of § 202 of the ADA and § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

At trial, a jury awarded Gorman compensatory and punitive damages.

[2][3] In a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Scalia, the Supreme Court held that punitive damages are not available under § 202 of the ADA and § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, because remedies for private actions under these sections are coextensive with the remedies available under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, under which punitive damages are not available in private suits.