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On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for Acheson Hotels LLC v. Laufer. The court will examine whether Deborah Laufer, a disabled advocate, can sue hotels for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), despite having no intention to visit them.
Civil rights advocates fear that the court has the potential to gut one of the main enforcement mechanisms of the ADA. They also fear that the court’s decision could have a more far-reaching impact on other civil rights law.
“The current Supreme Court has not proven to be a champion of civil rights. There is concern about what could happen with this case, both with the ADA and in the broader context of civil rights enforcement,” said Michelle Uzeta, deputy legal director of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.
It is impossible to know for certain how the court will rule. Disability advocates had dire predictions in another recent Supreme Court case, Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County v. Talevski. But the court ruled 7-2 in favor of preserving the ability of people with disabilities and their families to sue over problems with federally funded programs.
“I think the big question is going to be how the court interprets harm here, how it slices and dices this,” said Jasmine Harris, a professor at University of Pennsylvania’s Harris School of Law.
What is the case about?
Laufer is a disabled advocate living in Florida. She has multiple sclerosis, uses a wheelchair and has a vision…
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