By Kristina M. Launey & Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: AB 1757 would adopt WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the de facto standard for websites and mobile apps that can be accessed from California and impose liability for statutory damages on business establishments and website developers.
In a classic gut and amend move mid-way through the Legislative Session, on June
Continue Reading New California Assembly Bill on Website Accessibility Could Result in a Lawsuit Tsunami
By John W. Egan and Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: New York federal courts have generally been friendly to plaintiffs in website accessibility lawsuits, but a few recent decisions are demanding more of plaintiffs to establish standing.
While federal New York courts (particularly the Southern District) have historically been a friendly jurisdiction for ADA website plaintiffs, there have been
Continue Reading Plaintiff-Friendly New York Courts Change Course in Three Recent Decisions in Website Accessibility Cases
By Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth synopsis: The opening brief in Acheson Hotels v. Laufer, the first case to reach the U.S. Supreme Court in more than 18 years, was filed today.
Today, Petitioner/Defendant Acheson Hotels LLC filed its opening brief in the first ADA Title III case before SCOTUS in over eighteen years. In our view, the decision
Continue Reading SCOTUS UPDATE: Opening Brief Filed in Acheson Hotels v. Laufer
By John W. Egan, Dov Kesselman, and Ashley S. Jenkins
A recent “Dear Colleague” letter issued jointly by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education (OCR) places colleges and universities on notice of recent enforcement activities under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section
Continue Reading OCR and DOJ Send A Message to Higher Ed: Make Your Websites Accessible
By John W. Egan and Ashley S. Jenkins
Seyfarth Synopsis: New Kansas law will allow resident businesses to sue ADA website plaintiffs and their counsel over “abusive” litigation to recover defense fees and potentially punitive damages.
The Kansas legislature recently passed The Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation that, starting on July 1, 2023, will allow Kansas businesses to sue
Continue Reading New Kansas Website Accessibility Law Provides Local Businesses With A Litigation Sword
By Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth synopsis: A New York federal judge invokes the All Writs Act to dismiss a later-filed website accessibility lawsuit against the same defendant to protect the integrity of an existing consent decree that already requires the defendant to make its website accessible.
Businesses that are sued under Title III of the ADA for allegedly having a
Continue Reading A Consent Decree Can Provide Some Protection Against Future Website Accessibility Lawsuits
By Lotus Cannon and Minh Vu
Seyfarth synopsis: Leading the country with 3,173 federal ADA Title III lawsuits in 2022, plaintiff-friendly court decisions will likely keep New York in the top spot.
It is no surprise that New York has become the nation’s leader in ADA Title III and website accessibility litigation, bypassing California by a substantial margin in
Continue Reading New York Continues to Be a Friendly Venue for ADA Title III Plaintiffs
By Ashley Jenkins & Minh Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: After ten years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) finally issued a report on the accessibility of federal government websites which exposes widespread accessibility barriers.
The adage, “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” seems to be the motto of the federal government when it comes to compliance with digital accessibility standards.
Continue Reading Long Overdue Report Shows Deficient Accessibility for Many Federal WebsitesBy Kristina M. Launey & Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: Plaintiffs filed 3,225 website accessibility lawsuits in federal court in 2022 – a 12% increase over 2021.
2022 was another record setting year for website accessibility lawsuits filed in federal court. The total number of lawsuits filed in federal court alleging that plaintiffs with a disability could not use websites
Continue Reading Plaintiffs Set a New Record for Website Accessibility Lawsuit Filings in 2022Seyfarth Synopsis: We predict another busy year on all fronts as DOJ continues to push its regulatory and enforcement agenda.
Lawsuit Numbers. Last January, we predicted that roughly the same number of ADA Title III lawsuits would be filed in federal court in 2022 as in 2021, but halfway through 2022 it
Continue Reading ADA Title III Crystal Ball: What’s Ahead for 2023?