Ohio ADA Website Compliance Guide

🏭 OHIO: SIXTH CIRCUIT NEXUS RULE + LANDMARK SETTLEMENTS

3,084 Government Entities face April 2026 deadline. Ohio's Sixth Circuit position provides some legal nuances, but government entities have NO nexus defense—the April 2026 deadline applies regardless.

🎓 LANDMARK: Miami University $260,000+ Settlement:
• Aleeha Dudley (blind student) sued over inaccessible website and LMS
• DOJ intervened in the case
• $108k education compensation + $50k loans + $102k damages
• $25k pool for other affected students
• Ohio's largest digital accessibility settlement

🎯 Major Metro Settlements:
• Cuyahoga County (Cleveland): $74,000
• Columbus City Schools: $63,000
• City of Toledo: Previous DOJ settlement agreement
• Toledo Metro Credit Union: Lawsuit filed (dismissed on standing)

⚖️ Sixth Circuit Nexus Rule: For private businesses, the Sixth Circuit requires a 'nexus' between website and physical location. This provides SOME protection for online-only businesses. But government entities are places of public accommodation by definition—NO nexus defense available.

📋 State Policy IT-09 (January 2025): Ohio Digital Accessibility policy requires ALL state agencies to achieve WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA compliance. Accessibility statements required on all homepages. Third-party vendors must also comply.

🏫 Education Sector Alert: 608 school districts face heightened risk. Miami University case proves DOJ will intervene in Ohio education cases. Columbus settlement confirms K-12 targeting.

📖 Full Guide: Read the complete Ohio ADA compliance guide including Toledo-area enforcement and Sixth Circuit legal analysis.