Our Mission
With offices in California and New York, Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) is one of the leading nonprofit disability rights legal centers in the nation. Its mission is to advance equal rights and opportunity for people with all types of disabilities nationwide.
Contact for Press Inquiries
Email: communications@dralegal.org
Phone: (510) 665-8644
Links
DRA General Information Brochure (PDF)
September 15, 2026—Romulus, NY—On August 24, 2026, Judge Vacca of the District Court for the Western District of New York granted Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification in the lawsuit titled Cardew v. New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. This lawsuit, filed by Disability Rights Advocates and Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York … Continue reading “Federal Court Certifies Class of People With Mobility Disabilities Denied Wheelchairs, Canes, and Other Accommodations at Five Points Correctional Facility”
September 3, 2026—Chicago, IL—Yesterday, Daniel Valenzuela, a Deaf individual incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), filed a federal lawsuit challenging IDOC’s failure to provide Deaf people equal access to its expanded telephone program. Mr. Valenzuela is represented by Disability Rights Advocates, Equip for Equality, and Much Shelist. Read the complaint. “I have six … Continue reading “Deaf Incarcerated Individual Challenges Illinois Prisons’ Systemic Exclusion from Expansive Telephone Access Program”
August 31, 2026—San Francsico, CA—On August 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney approved a class action settlement that will resolve litigation against The Hertz Corporation under the Americans with Disabilities Act filed by individuals who require hand controls to drive rental vehicles. Read the order granting final approval. In the class settlement, Hertz … Continue reading “Class Settlement Approved to Increase Availability of Hand Control Equipped Rental Vehicles to Hertz Customers”
New York, NY—July 29, 2026—Today, a coalition of disability rights advocates announced a settlement of the long-running class action lawsuit against the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority regarding elevator outages in the New York subway system. The settlement follows lengthy litigation in both the federal district court and court of appeals regarding what steps the … Continue reading “Settlement in Disability Advocates’ Class Action Over MTA Elevators Includes Major Efforts to Improve Usability of Subway System for People with Disabilities”
July 20, 2026—Berkeley, CA— A federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has approved a motion for class certification in a 2023 lawsuit against the City of Berkeley filed by Disability Rights Advocates and East Bay Community Law Center. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of five individual plaintiffs and … Continue reading “Court Certifies Class of Unhoused People with Disabilities in Lawsuit Challenging Berkeley’s Encampment Sweep Practices”
Chicago, IL — July 8, 2026 — One year ago, a federal court ordered Chicago to install thousands of accessible pedestrian signals (APS) over the next 10 years, resolving a years-long legal battle by blind and low vision pedestrians for safe and equitable streets. Last week, the court-appointed Independent Monitor issued his first annual report … Continue reading “Monitor Reports on Chicago’s Compliance with Accessible Pedestrian Signal Court Order Outlining Successes and Areas of Concern”
July 1, 2026—New York, NY—Three years after a federal court approved a landmark settlement requiring the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and other city entities to reform their policies, practices, and procedures so that students with diabetes can fully participate in school and school-related activities, an External Monitor (Monitor) has issued a report … Continue reading “External Monitor Finds NYC Department of Education Making Progress, But Still Out of Compliance with Eleven Key Settlement Benchmarks Protecting K-12 Students with Diabetes”
June 15, 2026—Oakland, CA—Travelers with mobility disabilities who require a wheelchair accessible vehicle (“WAV”) will soon have improved access to airport transportation as a result of a class settlement agreement approved by the U.S. District Court last week. The settlement will resolve a lawsuit brought by three Bay Area residents against the companies that own … Continue reading “Settlement with Leading Airport Transportation Shuttle Company to Improve Access for Wheelchair Users”
Decision in City of Gilroy v. Superior Court has major implications for public accountability and record preservation January 15, 2026 — San Jose, CA — The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley secured a landmark decision ensuring government agencies are held accountable when they improperly withhold materials essential to public accountability. The Supreme Court of California … Continue reading “California Supreme Court Clarifies Limits of Court Enforcement Under Public Records Act”
October 14, 2025—Queens, New York—On October 9, 2025, Magistrate Judge Steven Tiscione granted final approval to a class action settlement of a case filed against the Queens Borough Public Library, the Board of Trustees of Queens Borough Public Library, and the City of New York, challenging the inaccessibility of Hunters Point Library in Long Island … Continue reading “Class Settlement Approved Ensuring Access for People with Disabilities to Queens Public Library Branch”