Why a Miami Federal Court Ruling Could Affect ADA Compliance Across the US and is the Business World Watching?

Abstract

A two day bench trial in Miami this past June resulted in a Federal Court ruling the entire business world should pay attention to. This Miami case was on the radar of a few attorneys prior to trial but then reached the immediate attention of others once the ruling was issued. The case was decided by Judge Scola in the United States District Court, Southern District on June 12, 2017. It was brought by Juan Carlos Gil (“Gil”), a visually impaired Plaintiff, in Federal District Court in Miami under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§12181-12189 (the “ADA”) and in the action alleged that Defendant, Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (“Winn-Dixie”) had an inaccessible website to the visually impaired. Defendant, Winn-Dixie, is a chain of grocery stores that are regionally located throughout the State of Florida with some locations containing in-store pharmacies. Plaintiff, being a visually impaired adult and a regular customer of Winn-Dixie sued the grocery store chain seeking declaratory and injunctive relief together with attorneys’ fees.