By Kristina M. Launey, Minh N. Vu, and Susan Ryan

Seyfarth Synopsis: In 2023, the number of ADA Title III lawsuits filed in federal court declined but still exceeded 8,200 for a second year in a row.

From 2013 to 2021, federal court ADA Title III case filings climbed steadily to a staggering 11,452 in 2021.  The number

Continue Reading Plaintiffs Filed More than 8,200 ADA Title III Federal Lawsuits in 2023

John W. Egan, Julia N. Sarnoff and Minh N. Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis: The W3C recently adopted Version 2.2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) which adds nine new success criteria for digital accessibility.

On October 5, 2023, the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) issued Version 2.2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).  Version 2.2 is the third iteration

Continue Reading W3C Adds Nine New Requirements In WCAG 2.2

By Minh N. Vu & John W. Egan

Seyfarth Synopsis:  SCOTUS’s refusal to clarify standing requirements for “tester” plaintiffs in ADA Title III lawsuits means it’s business as usual for the plaintiffs’ bar. 

Yesterday, SCOTUS issued its decision in Acheson v. Laufer which – to the disappointment of private businesses and the defense bar – leaves unanswered the question of

Continue Reading SCOTUS Punts on Whether ADA “Testers” Have Standing in Acheson v. Laufer

By: Kristina Launey and Minh Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals approved state-owned hospital’s exclusion of nursing student’s service animal that posed a direct threat to patients and staff with severe allergies where no reasonable alternatives existed to mitigate the threat.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued a decision in Bennett v. Hurley Med. Ctr.

Continue Reading Sixth Circuit Approves Hospital’s Exclusion of Nursing Student’s Service Animal

By Minh N. Vu and John W. Egan

Seyfarth Synopsis:  SCOTUS asked revealing questions in yesterday’s Acheson v. Laufer oral argument, but left attendees wondering whether the Court will provide much-needed guidance on the so-called “tester standing” issue for which it granted certiorari.

The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) heard oral argument yesterday in a case arising under Title III of

Continue Reading SCOTUS Hears Oral Argument in Acheson v. Laufer

By: John W. Egan and Ashley S. Jenkins

Occasionally we see a story in the news that we can’t resist blogging about, and this one is no exception:  Last week, an emotional support alligator named “Wally” was denied access to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia to watch a professional baseball game.  We thought this would be a nice opportunity to

Continue Reading No MLB Baseball for Wally The Emotional Support Gator

By Kristina M. Launey

Seyfarth Synopsis: AB 1757, which would set a standard for website accessibility for businesses in California, has been held in the Legislature to resume discussion in 2024.

While Southern California and Burning Man revelers were hit with unprecedented severe storms in August, the California Legislature has given businesses at least a temporary reprieve from legislation that

Continue Reading California Assembly Bill on Website Accessibility Downgraded from Potential Lawsuit Tsunami to 2024 Weather Watch

By Minh Vu, Kristina Launey, and Susan Ryan

Seyfarth Synopsis: The decline in ADA Title III lawsuits that began in 2022 continues in 2023.  New York remains the filing hotspot.

Continuing the trend discussed in our 2022 blog posts here and here, the number of lawsuits filed in federal courts alleging violations of Title III of the

Continue Reading 2023 Mid-Year Report: ADA Title III Federal Lawsuit Numbers Continue to Decline

Synopsis:  SCOTUS denies serial plaintiff’s attempt to dismiss her case and avoid the court’s consideration of a critical legal issue in ADA Title III lawsuits – tester standing.

U.S. Supreme Court Building
U.S. Supreme Court Building

As we reported several weeks ago, serial plaintiff Deborah Laufer tried to evade the U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) consideration of a very important legal issue —the standing of

Continue Reading SCOTUS Refuses to Dismiss Acheson Hotels v. Laufer Case Before Oral Argument Set For October 4

By Minh N. Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis:  The Plaintiff in Acheson v. Laufer dismisses her lawsuit with prejudice and asks SCOTUS to dismiss its pending review based on mootness.

In an unexpected and bizarre turn of events, Deborah Laufer, the plaintiff in the much-watched Acheson v. Laufer case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court (“SCOTUS”), has decided to dismiss that case

Continue Reading SCOTUS Might Not Rule on the Standing of ADA Title III Testers After All