Plaintiff
- Name: Emanuel Delacruz
- Filing date: January 2, 2019
- State of filing: New York
Defendant
- Name: Sarah Lawrence College
- Website: www.sarahlawrence.edu
- Industry: Educational
- Summary: Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York.
Case Summary
On January 2, 2019, Emanuel Delacruz filed a Complaint in New York Federal court against Sarah Lawrence College. Plaintiff Emanuel Delacruz alleges that www.sarahlawrence.edu is not accessible per the WCAG 2.0 accessibility standard(s).
Case Details
Plaintiff alleges issues in its Complaint including the following:
- Lack of Alternative Text (“alt-text”), or a text equivalent.
- Empty Links That Contain No Text causing the function or
purpose of the link to not be presented to the user. - Redundant Links where adjacent links go to the same URL address which results in additional navigation and repetition for keyboard and screen-reader users; and
- Linked Images Missing Alt-text, which causes problems if an image within a link contains no text and that image does not provide alt-text.
Plaintiff asserts the following cause(s) of action in its Complaint:
- Violations of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 1281 et seq.
- Violations of the NYSHRL
- Violation of the New York State Civil Rights Law
- Violations of the NYCHRL
- Declaratory Relief
Plaintiff seeks the following relief by way of its Complaint:
- A preliminary and permanent injunction to prohibit Defendant from violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12182, et seq., The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §794 et seq. N.Y. Exec. Law § 296, et seq., N.Y. Civil Rights Law § 40 et. seq., N.Y. Civil Rights Law § 40 et. seq., and the laws of New York
- A preliminary and permanent injunction requiring Defendant to take all the steps necessary to make its Website into full compliance with the requirements set forth in the ADA and the RA, and its implementing regulations, so that the Website is readily accessible to and usable by blind individuals
- A declaration that Defendant owns, maintains and/or operates its Website in a manner that discriminates against the blind and which fails to provide access for persons with disabilities as required by Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12182, et seq., The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §794 et seq., N.Y. Exec. Law § 296, et seq., N.Y. Civil Rights Law § 40 et. seq., and the laws of New York.
- An order certifying the Class and Sub-Class under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a) & (b)(2) and/or (b)(3), appointing Plaintiff as Class Representative, and his attorneys as Class Counsel
- Compensatory damages in an amount to be determined by proof, including all applicable statutory and punitive damages and fines, to Plaintiff and the proposed class for violations of their civil rights under The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, New York Civil Rights Law and New York State Human Rights Law
- Pre- and post-judgment interest
- An award of costs and expenses of this action together with reasonable attorneys’ and expert fees
- Such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper.