ADA public accommodation lawsuits decrease: Seyfarth Shaw

The number of lawsuits filed in federal courts under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits disability discrimination in places of public accommodation, continues to decline from a 2021 high, says a law firm’s report.

There was a 17% drop, to 4,081 cases, filed between January and June, vs. the comparable period a year ago, according to the report by Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

The number of cases filed reached a 2021 high of 6,304, which was a 33% increase from 2019, the report said.

This year, there was a half-year drop in cases filed in California federal courts, to 1,020, which was a 35.8% decline from the comparable total a year ago.

Among the likely reasons for the declines, the report said, is that many California federal judges have recently dismissed these claims for monetary damages on the theory they are an “end run” around more stringent state court filing requirements.