California ADA Website Compliance Guide

🚨 Critical Deadline

April 24, 2026

Over 4,400 California government websites must comply

⚠️ CALIFORNIA: UNRUH ACT DOUBLE LIABILITY

3,252 ADA lawsuits filed in CA in 2024 - a 37% increase from 2023. 82.89% originated in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

💰 Unruh Act Penalties: $4,000 statutory damages PER VIOLATION + 3x actual damages + attorney fees. Unlike federal ADA, Unruh allows monetary damages making lawsuits extremely profitable.

🎯 San Diego Litigation Hub: The Reddy Law Firm (formerly Potter Handy) operates from San Diego, actively filing Unruh Act claims. Recent $6M+ class action settlement demonstrates scale of exposure.

📈 Serial Plaintiff Strategy: Attorneys like Kevin Tucker file demand letters before lawsuits, securing private settlements that aren't publicly documented - meaning actual case numbers are higher.

🏛️ Government Entity Risk: Recent FTC $1M settlement with accessiBe highlights enforcement expansion. DOJ oversight + private litigation = dual compliance threats.

⏰ April 2026 Deadline: State/local governments with 50,000+ population must achieve WCAG 2.1 AA compliance or face both federal enforcement and private Unruh Act lawsuits.

California by the Numbers

39.5 million

Population

4424

Government Entities

45

Recent ADA Lawsuits

$$65,000

Average Settlement

Who Must Comply in California?

  • 58 counties - All county government websites
  • 482 cities and towns - Municipal websites and portals
  • 1037 school districts - K-12 education websites
  • 2847 special districts - Water, fire, parks, libraries

California-Specific Requirements

California's Unruh Act provides additional accessibility protections beyond federal ADA requirements.

Recent California ADA Lawsuit Cases

Martinez v. San Diego County (2024) - $95,000 settlement

Johnson v. Los Angeles USD (2023) - $120,000 settlement

Chen v. San Francisco (2024) - $88,000 settlement

Major California Cities Affected

Large entities (50,000+ population) must comply by April 24, 2026:

  • Los Angeles
  • San Diego
  • San Jose
  • San Francisco
  • Fresno

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