Aderiyike Lawal v. Patagonia Global LLC

I. Background

Plaintiff, who is legally blind, requires screen-reading software to use internet websites on her computer and phone, see Complaint, Dkt. # 1-1 (“Compl.”), ¶¶ 2, 16, and Defendant’s website is not fully accessible through screen-reading technology, id. ¶¶ 3, 17. As a result, on June 3, 2020, Plaintiff filed suit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging a single cause of action: violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act (“Unruh Act”), Cal. Civ. Code §§ 51–52 et seq. See Compl. ¶¶ 56–65. Plaintiff served Defendant with the Complaint on July 22, see Notice of Removal, Dkt. # 1 (“NOR”), ¶ 2, and Defendant removed the case to this Court on August 17, invoking the Court’s federal question jurisdiction, see id. ¶¶ 3–4. Plaintiff now moves to remand the case to the Superior Court, arguing that, although a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act qualifies as a violation of the Unruh Act, this fact alone does not confer federal question jurisdiction over this dispute. See generally Mot. The Court agrees, and therefore GRANTS Plaintiff’s motion to remand.

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CIVIL MINUTES - GENERAL

Case No. CV 20-7426 PSG (Ex) …