You’re about to see a lot more Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) on your daily drive. Within months of taking office, the Biden Administration announced an initiative to build half a million new charging stations across the country. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act, which passed in November 2021, includes…
Articles Posted by Martin H. Orlick
Serial Plaintiff’s “Reservation Rule” Lawsuit Against California Hotel Dismissed
In another blow to serial ADA litigation against hotels, a judge in the Northern District of California has issued an opinion dismissing the case against JMBM client OCI, which owns and operates a Comfort Inn & Suites near the San Francisco International Airport. Brian Whitaker, who has filed nearly 2,000…
ADA Alert: California requires electric vehicle charging stations to be accessible to drivers with disabilities
Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles are on the rise, as is the need for electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) to charge those vehicles. More and more, we see hotels, hospitals, theaters, shopping centers, stadiums, apartment communities, and other commercial establishments that provide EVCS as a service to their guests,…
California’s Central District tries to curb high frequency ADA litigant filings by declining supplemental jurisdiction over state law claims
Declining to exercise supplemental jurisdiction, the United States District Court Central District of California (Central District) is addressing high frequency litigants who file lawsuits in federal court alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Central District has been inundated with ADA lawsuits by California plaintiffs. According to…
Whitaker v. Tesla Motors – the end of cookie-cutter ADA complaints?
In a unanimous published opinion, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) affirmed the District Court’s dismissal of Whitaker v. Tesla Motors, for failure to state a claim of an action under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This case may have…
Hotels must list accessible features on the web or risk being sued
We previously warned the hotel industry of the inevitable explosion of ADA website lawsuit filed against hotels. Well, that time is here. In 2020, we saw a surge of lawsuits filed against those in the hotel industry, alleging the failure to comply with 28 C.F.R. Section 36.302 (e) of the…
The Court Dismisses ADA Lawsuit for Lack of Standing – Proving Once Again These Cases Can Be Won
The Court Dismisses ADA Lawsuit for Lack of Standing – Proving Once Again These Cases Can Be Won Anthony Bouyer v. LAXMI Hospitality, LLC By Martin H. Orlick It’s important to remember federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction. That limited jurisdiction derives from Article III of the U.S. Constitution.…
ADA Website “Tester’s” Lawsuit Dismissed – Again
In 2020, we saw an explosion of federal lawsuits against hotels alleging that they failed to comply with 28 C.F.R. 36.302(e) of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not identifying accessible features on their own and third party booking agents’ websites. Twice this year, we reported that ADA website…
Emotional Support Animals Now Banned on Commercial Flights
Emotional Support Animals Now Banned on Commercial Flights — Airlines are Crying “Woof” News accounts abound of passengers bringing a variety of so-called “emotional support” animals aboard commercial air flights. Who hasn’t seen a cute, expensive dog, cat or other animals on flights? And we have also heard about passengers…
Federal Judges Deal Further Blows to Deborah Laufer’s Nationwide ADA Lawsuits Against the Hospitality Industry
Federal Judges Deal Further Blows to Deborah Laufer’s Nationwide ADA Lawsuits Against the Hospitality Industry: ADA Lawsuits Are Defensible by Martin H. Orlick On June 8, 2020, we reported on the opinions of a New York federal judge that 30 of Deborah Laufer’s Complaints had no place in federal court. …