Press Releases
Landmark Decision: Voter Polling Sites Must be Accessible for People with Disabilities on Election Day
New York, NY – August 8, 2012 – In a major victory for voters with disabilities who use wheelchairs or have vision impairments, a Federal Court ruled today that New York City’s voter polling sites must be accessible for people with disabilities on Election Day. The groundbreaking decision is the culmination of over a decade of advocacy by persons with disabilities. The ruling is expected to have national implications.
The suit, which seeks no damages, was filed in July of 2010 by United Spinal...
San Francisco Improves Access to Emergency Response System for People with Disabilities
San Francisco, CA – July 25, 2012 – In a precedent setting agreement announced today, San Francisco has adopted an improved emergency response system to protect and address the needs of people with disabilities who use wheelchairs and other mobility aid devices.
In 2011, Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) and Chavez & Gertler LLP, two civil rights law firms, wrote to the City and County of San Francisco on behalf of Bryan Goodwin, concerning his traumatic experience with the city’s emergency...
Wal-Mart Discriminates Against Wheelchair and Scooter Users by Refusing to Provide Accessible Point-Of-Sale Machines
San Francisco, CA – July 25, 2012 – A class action lawsuit filed today against leading national retailer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Wal-Mart) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California challenges Wal-Mart’s continuing practice of knowingly placing point-of-sale machines beyond the reach and accessibility of people with disabilities who use wheelchairs and scooters. The lawsuit is the first of its kind in the country and is filed nearly 22 years to the day after...
Court of Appeals Decision in Noel v. TLC
New York, NY – June 28, 2012 – Today a Federal Court of Appeals panel overturned the ruling that New York’s taxi fleet is covered by the ADA and granted the City’s motion for summary judgment.
The Federal Court Panel held: that “Title II(A) does not obligate the TLC to use its licensing and regulatory authority over the New York City taxi industry to require that taxi owners provide meaningful access to taxis for persons with disabilities.”
The Court then ordered that the case be “remanded...
Lane Bryant to Improve the Checkout Experience for Guests with Visual Impairments
San Francisco, CA - May 16, 2012 - The California Council of the Blind (CCB), Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), and the Law Offices of Jay Koslofsky announced today that they have reached an agreement with Lane Bryant to improve the checkout experience for guests with visual impairments and to help ensure their privacy. CCB applauds Lane Bryant’s efforts.
Up to this point, Lane Bryant, a leading women's clothing retailer, has used point-of-sale terminals with touch-screen “virtual” keypads at...
Disability Rights Advocates Announces New Co-director Of Litigation
Berkeley, California - April 2, 2012 – DRA, a leading national non-profit legal center, announced today the appointment of a new Co-Director of Litigation, Shawna Parks. Ms. Parks comments: “I am excited to be returning to an organization where I started my career in disability rights, and where I will now be taking on a leadership role. DRA is at the forefront of disability rights in many areas, and I am honored to be invited back to lead the organization into the future.”
DRA’s Executive...
CNN Seeks to Strike Lawsuit, Says Closed Captioning for the Deaf and Hard-Of-Hearing Infringes Media Corporation’s Free Speech Rights
Oakland, CA - February 2, 2012 - Since the hearing held on December 1, 2011, a major development has emerged, which supports plaintiffs’ equal rights to the on-line video news content at CNN.com.
On January 13, 2012, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued new regulations under the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. The FCC’s new regulations refute CNN’s argument that requiring closed captions of the video news content at CNN.com infringes CNN’s First...
Redbox Discriminates Against the Blind by Failing to Provide Accessible Self-Service Kiosks
Oakland, CA – January 12, 2012 – Recent technological advances are sweeping the nation, changing the way people buy products and services. Self-service kiosks with automated, touch-screen interfaces now allow people to bank, shop, and conduct a wide range of transactions independently, without the assistance of a clerk. This technology is fast becoming an integral part of our every day lives.
Although these technologies can make our lives easier, Redbox, a video rental giant, has chosen to use...
AMC Theatres and ALDA Announce Greater Accessibility for Deaf or Hard-Of-Hearing Guests at All Digital Movie Theatres in California
Kansas City, MO – Dec. 20, 2011 - AMC Theatres® (AMC) today announced it will install personal captioning systems for its guests who are deaf or have significant hearing loss. The captioning systems will be installed in California, and across its national circuit, on a rolling basis, in conjunction with AMC’s national conversion to digital cinema. AMC will offer closed captioning for 127 screens in California by mid-2012, and projects that number to grow to over 500 screens by late 2013.
Movie...
City Of Los Angeles Ordered To Hire Experts to Revise Emergency Plans to Address Needs of People with Disabilities
Los Angeles, CA – November 9, 2011 - A federal judge ordered the City of Los Angeles to hire independent experts to review and revise the City’s emergency plans to address the safety of people with disabilities. The City must complete review and revision of all emergency plans within three years, and provide bi- annual reports on its progress. Although the Court allowed for the three years to complete the process, the Court further ordered that “the City begin this review and revision without...