When I was applying to college three long decades ago, it seemed like there was a relative handful of schools that most students at my high school applied to. It was a list that was heavy on the Ivies, heavy on the liberal arts, and sprinkled with "safeties" that included some state schools and small single-sex institutions.

Is Brian Woods of Akron, Ohio a) a great dad, or b) a scofflaw?

Daniel Woods, Brian's autistic son, probably would go for a). Unhappy with the quality of Daniel's education, Brian sued the school board and won several changes in Daniel's educational plan and about $160,000, according to a recent article in the New York Times

How can judges rule fairly in a case that establishes a precedent affecting thousands of children, when the case they hear bears little resemblance to the vast majority of related cases? That's the question that's been on my mind since November 14, 2005.