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Seyfarth Synopsis: Are web-only businesses subject to Title III? A Minnesota federal court joins the controversy and says yes.

Courts around the country are split on the issue of whether a “place of public accommodation” subject to Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act must have a physical location

Continue Reading Minnesota District Court Says Web-Only Businesses Are Subject to Title III of the ADA

By: John W. Egan and Minh N. Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis: A recent decision holding that web-only businesses cannot be sued over the accessibility of their website under the ADA is the first of its kind in the Southern District of New York and may cause forum-shopping serial plaintiffs and their counsel to shift to state court. 

The Chief Judge Laura

Continue Reading SDNY Chief Judge to ADA Plaintiff: Court Closed for Business to Online-Only ADA Web Cases

By Kristina Launey and John W. Egan

Seyfarth Synopsis: DOJ issues useful new Guide to help small governmental entities understand the new web and mobile app accessibility requirements under Title II of the ADA.

On May 22, 2024 the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) published a Small Entity Compliance Guide to help people who work for or with state

Continue Reading DOJ Issues “Small Entity Compliance Guide” for State and Local Government Web Content and Mobile App Accessibility

By Lotus Cannon and Minh Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis: SDNY Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil dismisses with prejudice a website accessibility lawsuit with vague allegations about plaintiffs’ standing.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) has been a highly favored venue for serial plaintiffs bringing website accessibility lawsuits for years – at least in part because

Continue Reading SDNY Judge Gets Tough on Serial Website Plaintiffs

By Minh N. Vu and 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.

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

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

By Minh N. Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis:  The California Court of Appeals puts an end to lawsuits against online only businesses in California and calls out DOJ and Congress for inaction.

In a precedent setting, 35-page opinion, the California Court of Appeals yesterday closed the door on California lawsuits brought against online only businesses, agreeing with the U.S. Court of
Continue Reading Websites Are Not A Public Accommodation Under the ADA, Says California Court of Appeals

By Minh Vu and Julia Sarnoff

Seyfarth Synopsis: Congressmen Budd and Correa try to address website and mobile app accessibility in a new bill called the “Online Accessibility Act.”  

On October 2, 2020, Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced a bill called the “Online Accessibility Act” (H.R. 8478) (the “OAA”) which would amend the ADA to
Continue Reading House Bill Introduced to Require Accessible Consumer Facing Websites and Mobile Apps

By Minh N. Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis:  Domino’s Likely to File Petition for Certiorari from Ninth Circuit’s Ruling in Robles v. Domino’s.

As we reported, the Ninth Circuit held in January that a blind plaintiff could move forward with his ADA Title III lawsuit against Domino’s Pizza for having an allegedly inaccessible website and mobile app.  The court determined that
Continue Reading Domino’s To Ask Supreme Court To Consider Whether ADA Website/Mobile App Accessibility Lawsuits Violate Due Process

By Kristina M. Launey & Minh N. Vu

Seyfarth Synopsis: Ninth Circuit overturns district court’s dismissal of website accessibility lawsuit on due process and primary jurisdiction grounds, remands case to proceed with discovery.

On January 15, 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued the fifth federal appeals court ruling on the issue of website accessibility, and there is no
Continue Reading Ninth Circuit Allow the Robles v. Domino’s Website and Mobile App Accessibility Lawsuit to Move Forward