Plaintiff
- Name: Christopher Meyer Sarah Meyer The National Federation of the Blind, Inc.
- Filing date: August 6, 2019
- State of filing: Indiana
Defendant
- Name: Jennifer Walthall in her official capacity as Secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Adrienne Shields in her official capacity as Director of the Indiana Division of Family Resources.
- Website: www.in.gov/fssa/5695.htm
- Industry: Governmental Entity
- Summary: Jennifer Walthall is the Secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Adrienne Shields is the Director of the Indiana Division of Family Resources.
Case Summary
On August 6, 2019, Christopher Meyer Sarah Meyer The National Federation of the Blind, Inc. filed a Complaint in Indiana Federal court against Jennifer Walthall in her official capacity as Secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Adrienne Shields in her official capacity as Director of the Indiana Division of Family Resources.. Plaintiff Christopher Meyer Sarah Meyer The National Federation of the Blind, Inc. alleges that www.in.gov/fssa/5695.htm is not accessible per the WCAG 2.0, Section 508 accessibility standard(s).
Case Details
Plaintiff alleges issues in its Complaint including the following:
The State's FSSA portal website contained several form fields, such as checkboxes and dropdown menus, that were not properly labeled for screen access software.
Plaintiff asserts the following cause(s) of action in its Complaint:
- Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12181 et seq.
- Declaratory Relief
Plaintiff seeks the following relief by way of its Complaint:
- Declare that Defendants’ failure to ensure that they and their contractors offer and provide information and other communications in accessible formats to blind individuals violates Title II of the ADA and Section 504.
- Declare that Defendants have a duty to provide equally effective access to all information they and their contractors provide to recipients of government benefits, including, but
not limited to, notices, correspondence, forms, and publications, in appropriately secure formats that are accessible to blind individuals, including Braille, large print, audio CD, and digital navigable formats supported by computers and/or digital talking-book players, transmitted through data CD, flash drive, e-mail, or other requested media, and all website communications; - Grant a permanent injunction prohibiting Defendants from violating Title II of the ADA and Section 504, and requiring Defendants, their successors, agents, contractors, assigns,
representatives, employees, and all persons acting in concert therewith, to ensure that Plaintiffs have equally effective access to all information Defendants provide to Indiana residents, including, but not limited to: by providing equal access to all print communications in appropriately secure
formats that are accessible to blind persons, including Braille, large print, audio CD, and digital navigable formats supported by computers and/or digital talking-book players, transmitted through data CD, flash drive, e-mail, or other requested media; by remediating their websites so that they provide equally effective communication to the blind; and by implementing policies, procedures, and practices to ensure the consistent and affirmative provision of alternative formats to blind individuals, such that blind individuals need not make multiple requests for accessible formats, and the long-term maintenance of accessible websites; - Award Plaintiffs’ reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, as provided by law; and
- Order such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.