Disability Rights Cases
Disability Rights Cases
Cases
| Case Name | Overview | Federal Court | Case Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County Detention Center |
On November 4, 2022 the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky reached a settlement agreement with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Division of Community Corrections, under Title II of the ADA, to resolve the allegation that the County prohibits the use by inmates of methadone and buprenorphine, specific medication used to treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The agreement includes adoption of a policy regarding health services for individuals with OUD and review by the Department of the OUD draft policy. |
Settlement/Consent Decree |
|
| Contra Costa County Kids at Work |
On October 24, 2022, the United States settled an allegation that Contra Costa County Kids at Work, an infant center and preschool, violated Title III of the ADA when it refused to accommodate and instead disenrolled a two-year-old child with developmental delays and scimitar syndrome from its program. The agreement includes payment of monetary compensation to the complainant, a new non-discrimination policy, review of relevant policies or procedures by the Department, staff training, and reporting to the Department of any future complaints or charges of discrimination. |
Settlement/Consent Decree |
|
| LA Nail Spa |
On June 7, 2022 the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana reached a settlement agreement under Title III of the ADA with LA Nail Spa to resolve an allegation that an individual was refused services because of the inability to transfer out of their wheelchair. The agreement includes adopting a non-discrimination policy, maintaining a record of each modification request, notifying the United States of any disability discrimination complaints, and paying $500 to the complainant as compensatory damages. |
Settlement/Consent Decree |
|
| Town of Limerick Maine |
On September 20, 2022 the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine reached a settlement agreement under Title II of the ADA with the Town of Limerick, Maine, to resolve allegations that the town hall is not physically accessible. The agreement includes physical access alterations, adoption of a non-discrimination policy, review by the Department of relevant policies or procedures, and reports to the Department. |
Settlement/Consent Decree |
|
| City of Hudson, New York |
On October 23, 2019, the United States executed a settlement agreement under Title II of the ADA with the City of Hudson, New York to ensure access to the City’s programs, services and activities for people with mobility disabilities. The agreement requires the City to address the lack of program access at City facilities and programs, and to ensure accessible curb ramps and sidewalks to and between City facilities. On October 12, 2022, Disability Rights Section entered into a two-year extension and addendum to the Settlement Agreement. The extension includes interim deadlines to keep the City on track to achieve compliance with a title II ADA accessibility Settlement. |
Settlement/Consent Decree Settlement/Consent Decree |
|
| Estate of LeRoux v Montgomery County |
On October 7, 2022, the United States filed a statement of interest in a private lawsuit alleging that Montgomery County failed to reasonably modify its policies and procedures when responding to Ryan Leroux during a mental health crisis, resulting in Mr. Leroux’s death after police shot 23 bullets at him. The statement addresses the proper construction of Title II and its implementing regulations at the motion to dismiss stage with respect to disability coverage, the County’s knowledge of Mr. Leroux’s need for modifications, and the reasonableness of a plaintiff’s proposed modification. |
Maryland, District of |
Statement of Interest |
| Luna Tattoo Studio |
In May 2022, the U.S. Attorney's Office of Northern District of California reached an agreement with Luna Tattoo Studio in to resolve an allegation under Title III of the ADA that the tattoo studio refused to provide services to an individual with HIV. The agreement includes review by the Department of any relevant policies or procedures, training of staff, written notification to the Department of future complaints, maintaining a written log of potential clients who were not accepted due to a physical or mental medical condition, and $7,000 in compensatory damages for the individual. |
Settlement/Consent Decree |
|
| Minnesota Department of Corrections |
On September 30, 2022, the Justice Department issued a Letter of Findings against the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC) under Title II of the ADA after investigating complaints alleging that the state prison system discriminates against incarcerated individuals with disabilities in its General Educational Development (GED) program. The Department found that the MNDOC fails to provide incarcerated individuals with disabilities with necessary reasonable modifications during GED courses and practice tests and denies them opportunities to obtain accommodations during GED exams. This includes individuals with learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, vision impairments, and mental health disabilities. On February 14, 2023, the Justice Department filed its complaint and proposed consent decree to resolve its findings. The MNDOC agreed to revise its policies, train personnel and educate incarcerated individuals on these revised policies and the ADA, hire an agency-wide ADA Compliance Officer and designate facility-level ADA and education coordinators, conduct a corrective action review, and provide regular reports to the Department. The MNDOC will also pay over $70,000 in compensatory damages to aggrieved individuals with disabilities. The court approved the consent decree on March 7, 2023 |
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law Settlement/Consent Decree Complaint |
|
| Helping Hands Caregivers LLC |
On September 15, 2022 the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin reached a settlement agreement under Title III of the ADA with Helping Hands Caregivers LLC to resolve allegations that the company refused to provide in-home caregiving services to an individual with HIV. The agreement includes adoption of a non-discrimination policy, training of staff, written notification to the Department of future complaints, and $10,000 in compensatory damages for the individual. |
Settlement/Consent Decree |
|
| Betancourt-Colon v City of San Juan |
On September 12, 2022, the Department of Justice intervened in Betancourt-Colon v. City of San Juan, a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by individuals with mobility disabilities against the City of San Juan, Puerto Rico under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The department’s complaint alleges that San Juan fails to provide people with mobility disabilities equal access to its public sidewalk system due to widespread issues with city sidewalks and curb ramps. The department’s allegations are based in part on findings by the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Civil Rights. The department previously filed a Statement of Interest in the same lawsuit on November 9, 2020, asserting the long-held position of the United States that a public entity's provision and maintenance of public sidewalks is a covered “service” under Title II of the ADA. |
Puerto Rico, District of |
Statement of Interest Complaint Motions and Memoranda - Miscellaneous |