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Landmark case establishing that ADA Title III applies to websites and mobile apps. This case went through multiple appeals and reached the Supreme Court.
Plaintiff
Guillermo Robles (blind, uses JAWS screen reader)
Defendant
Domino's Pizza LLC
Date Filed
September 1, 2016
Date Resolved
June 30, 2022
Settlement Amount
Confidential
Jurisdiction
United States (Central District of California, Ninth Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court)
Case Number
Case No. 2:16-cv-06599, C.D. Cal.
WCAG Level
Level AAGuillermo Robles, who is blind and uses JAWS screen reader software, attempted to order a pizza from Domino's website and mobile app but was unable to complete his order due to accessibility barriers. He filed a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act Title III, claiming that Domino's website and mobile app are "places of public accommodation" and must be accessible to people with disabilities. Domino's initial defense argued that the ADA only applied to physical locations and that websites/apps were not covered under Title III. However, the Central District of California disagreed, finding that websites and apps were indeed places of public accommodation. Court timeline: - Central District of California (2021): Summary judgment for plaintiff; found ADA Title III applies to digital properties - Domino's ordered to make website WCAG 2.0 compliant - Plaintiff awarded $4,000 in Unruh Act penalties - Ninth Circuit affirmed lower court decision - Supreme Court declined certiorari (October 2019), effectively upholding precedent Settlement reached in June 2022 after extensive appeals process. Specific accessibility issues: - Website and mobile app incompatible with JAWS screen reader - Missing alt text for images and buttons - Unlabeled form fields - No keyboard navigation - Unclear error messages - Buttons without accessible names
This landmark case established the legal foundation for digital accessibility rights in the United States. It transformed accessibility from a niche consideration into a core legal compliance requirement and has directly or indirectly resulted in thousands of subsequent lawsuits and settlements.