People v. Mandel Historic Case

At a Glance

Date Filed: 

1975

Case Description 

People v. Mandel is a criminal case in which the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) sought to bar evidence of the complainant's prior sexual conduct from a rape trial.

To support the growing demand for just and humane treatment of rape victims, CCR lawyers undertook representation of rape victims with the aim of developing model legal submissions for others to use in reducing the sexism that often infects such trials. This involved filing motions to bar evidence of the complainant’s prior sexual conduct from the trial as irrelevant. CCR was successful in this suit.