Recent Blog Posts
Florida State and Local Remedies for Civil Rights Violations in Public Accommodations
By: Matthew Dietz, Esq. No State shall … deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Equal protection is a right that is enshrined in both the Florida and the United States Constitutions. However, what most advocates and lawyers do not realize is that there are many local and… Read More »
New Guidance on Emotional Support Animals for Air Carriers – What does it mean?
By: Matthew Dietz Almost nothing has engendered more controversy than turkeys, peacocks, and pigs on commercial air crafts. As a result of the many passengers who choose to bring their animals on aircraft, airlines have been establishing new guidelines without oversight or guidance from the Department of Transportation and their view of enforcement of… Read More »
Casey Martin – Disability Accommodations in Sports!
The ADA has had an overarching impact on all aspects of life, including competitive sports. Casey Martin, a professional golfer, highlighted the true impact of the ADA in the sports world in 2001 when he won his lawsuit against the PGA tour under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The PGA Tour, the main organizer… Read More »
Litigation: Cruise Ship Accessibility After 25 Years!
By: Matthew Dietz Twenty years ago, accessible cruising was an impossibility. Notwithstanding that a cruise ship – a resort at sea – was the ideal vacation with everything at one’s fingertips — for a person with a disability it was just impossible. There were no accessible rooms, no accessible bathrooms, public rooms on different… Read More »
The City of Coral Gables’ Granada Golf Course should be accessible to all for ADA’S 25th Anniversary
By: Sharon Langer I love to walk on Saturdays on our city of Coral Gables public golf course. It has been a destination for walkers, runners and joggers for as long as it has been built for the last 50 years. The City of Coral Gables recreational programs or activities, such as those offered… Read More »
Weiss v. Bethesda Hospital
We have been asked for copies of documents from the Weiss case by many persons — the attached are the pleadings: COMPLAINT-Weiss Motion For Preliminary Injunction Defendants Response to Motion for Preliminary Injunction Plaintiff’s Reply to Defendants Response to Motion for Preliminary Injunction Report & Recommendation Plaintiffs’ Objections to the Report and Recommendations
ADA 25th Anniversary – The State of the Florida Bar and Courts
Persons with disabilities should not be “inspiring” or be required to “overcome” their disability to be a member of the Florida Bar. No other population needs to proffer its superstars to become eligible to be a lawyer. The ADA’s intent was to open the door and create a level playing field so anyone who has the intellectual ability and required ethical standards to be able to practice law should be able to do so. As a profession, we need to examine our practice, our rules, and our profession to remove attitudinal barriers and accept each other as equals.
Litigation – Fair Housing Reasonable Accommodations – Hey Mr. Landlord, please can you make one little change so I can live in my home?
Many landlords believe that the terms and conditions of the apartments they rent are not subject to modification – it’s “take it or leave it.” But the Fair Housing Act requires landlords to make modifications to rules, policies or procedures so that tenants with disabilities can have the same opportunities to live in a home and in an integrated community.
Florida’s New Service Animal Statute — Section 413.08
By: Matthew Dietz This legislative term, Florida Representative Jimmie T. Smith, from Citrus and part of Hernando Counties, sponsored one of the most progressive service animal bills in the United States, Florida Statute 413.08 (2015). As a veteran, Rep. Smith has become a leader for the Florida House when it comes to issues dealing… Read More »
DIG Litigation Update – $625,000 settlement to ensure accessibility in Section 8 project based housing developments.
On April 17, 2015, Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc. (HOPE) and six residents of two developments in Miami Gardens and Opa-Locka, Florida settled a lawsuit with Charter Management and Miami Property Group, and obtained significant changes in the policies and procedures of their housing development to ensure that all residents are able to… Read More »