82% of website lawsuits were filed in three states.
New York, Florida and Illinois: 2,567 of the 3,117 federal cases in 2025.
Federal website lawsuits in 2025, by state
Lawsuits claiming a website shuts out people with disabilities, filed in federal court. Cases in state courts and demand letters that never became a lawsuit are not counted, so the real number is higher.
1,021 lawsuits, down 35% from 1,564 in 2024 New York
Still the most federal cases, but down from 2024. Stricter federal rules on who can sue sent many plaintiffs to New York and New Jersey state courts instead, and those cases are not in this count.
961 lawsuits, up 104% from 470 in 2024 Florida
More than doubled in one year.
585 lawsuits Illinois
Third in the country.
162 lawsuits Minnesota
Fourth, well behind the top three.
137 lawsuits, up 33% from 103 in 2024 Pennsylvania
Up about a third.
86 lawsuits Missouri
57 lawsuits Massachusetts
47 lawsuits Wisconsin
34 lawsuits Indiana
22 lawsuits New Jersey
Few federal cases, but plaintiffs turned away from New York federal courts file in New Jersey state courts, which this count leaves out.
4 lawsuits, up 33% from 3 in 2024 California
Almost none in federal court, because the money is in state court: California counts an ADA violation as a violation of its Unruh Civil Rights Act, with damages of at least $4,000 per offense plus lawyer fees.
Sources: Seyfarth Shaw lawsuit count, March 25, 2026; California Civil Code section 52. A change from 2024 is shown only where the report gives the 2024 figure.
What we found on local sites in those states
We scanned restaurant, dental, law, shop and other small-business websites in each state in October 2026. The same two problems led everywhere: text too faint to read and links with no name.
34 sites, median score 81.5 New York
Faint text on 20 of 34. Links with no name on 16 of 34.
35 sites, median score 77 Florida
Faint text on 28 of 35. Links with no name on 18 of 35.
29 sites, median score 83 Illinois
Faint text on 18 of 29. Links with no name on 16 of 29.
31 sites, median score 80 Minnesota
Faint text on 14 of 31. Links with no name on 21 of 31.
25 sites, median score 81 Pennsylvania
Faint text on 15 of 25. Links with no name on 10 of 25.
28 sites, median score 75 Massachusetts
Faint text on 23 of 28. Links with no name on 17 of 28.
35 sites, median score 73 New Jersey
Faint text on 25 of 35. Links with no name on 21 of 35.
34 sites, median score 81.5 California
Faint text on 22 of 34. Links with no name on 18 of 34.
Scores are out of 100 (higher is better). Every site in the sample had at least one problem (that is how they were picked), so these numbers describe sites with problems, not every site in the state. About 30 sites per state is a small sample.
Whatever state you’re in
The fixes are the same everywhere. Run the free scan, then fix the top few: darker text, names on icon links, descriptions on photos. What the law says: does the ADA apply to my website. Already got a letter? What it means. Want to look yourself? The 15-minute checklist.
Or let us fix it
A person fixes the 10 most important issues in your site itself, then re-scans to show the change.
We fix your top 10
$149one-time
Easiest first step
Done for you. We fix the 10 most important issues from your scan, then re-scan to show the change.
- Fixes made by a person, not a widget
- Works with WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Shopify & more
- Before-and-after report
- Anything we can’t change on your platform comes with step-by-step instructions
Check your site first
Not legal advice. Automated scans catch a portion of accessibility issues and are not a legal compliance certification. For a legal question, ask a lawyer in your state.
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