In August 2019, DRA filed a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging that the City of Philadelphia discriminates against residents and visitors with disabilities that affect their mobility by failing to make its sidewalks and pedestrian routes accessible. When the lawsuit was filed, some corners … Continue reading “Liberty Resources, Inc v. the City of Philadelphia”
In August 2019, Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC), Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) filed a nationwide class action lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), challenging ICE’s systemic failure to monitor its facilities, which results in policies, procedures, … Continue reading “Fraihat v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”
The New York City subway system, the lifeblood of the city, is the most convenient way for nearly all New Yorkers to get around town. However, the MTA wholly excludes hundreds of thousands of NYC residents and visitors who have a mobility disability that limits their use of stairs from the 75% of stations that … Continue reading “The History of DRA’s Lawsuits Against the NYC Metropolitan Transportation Authority”
In May 2019, DRA filed a civil rights class action lawsuit in New York against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), challenging its prevalent, discriminatory practice of renovating New York City subway stations without installing elevators or other stair-free routes in blatant violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This illegal conduct harmed hundreds of … Continue reading “De La Rosa v. MTA (Federal case)”
On July 10, 2020, Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), Kasowitz Benson Torres, and the Law Offices of James E. Bahamonde reached an agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to resolve a lawsuit alleging three LIRR stations violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to install elevators when … Continue reading “Suffolk Independent Living Organization v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority”
On June 27, 2018, DRA, on behalf of the American Council of the Blind of New York (“ACBNY”) and two individual plaintiffs, filed a landmark class action lawsuit against the New York City Department of Transportation. According to the suit, New York City violated federal law by failing to systematically implement audible and tactile pedestrian … Continue reading “American Council of the Blind of New York, Inc., v. The City of New York”
In November 2017, DRA and partners filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of San Diego residents who depend on their vehicles as their only form of shelter against the City of San Diego, challenging the constitutionality of the City’s enforcement of the Vehicle Habitation Ordinance (VHO) and the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance (OVO). The VHO … Continue reading “Bloom v. City of San Diego”
Disability Rights Advocates represents Santa Clara County Jail inmates with mobility disabilities in litigation against Santa Clara County. Currently, there are no housing areas at the County Jails compliant with federal or state accessibility standards, and much of the rest of the County Jails have some sort of architectural barriers. Accordingly, some inmates report suffering … Continue reading “Cole, et al. v. County of Santa Clara, et al.”
This case challenges the MTA’s failure to maintain the few elevators that exist in New York City’s subway stations. DRA has resolved two separate other cases against the MTA through an agreement for the agency to install elevators in at least 95% of subway stations system-wide over the coming years. In April 2017, DRA filed … Continue reading “Center for Independence of the Disabled New York (CIDNY) v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) (S.D.N.Y.)”
This case challenges the MTA’s failure to install elevators at all New York City’s subway stations. DRA has a second, related case challenging the MTA’s failure to maintain the few elevators that currently exist. In April 2017, DRA filed a class action lawsuit against the New York City Transit Authority (“NYCTA”), Metropolitan Transit Authority (“MTA”), … Continue reading “Center for Independence of the Disabled New York (CIDNY) v. MTA (State case)”