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Decisions that shape access

The law moves
through cases.

Selected rulings show how disability protections are interpreted and enforced across the nation, New York, and Florida.

Research desk

A working public record.

This educational timeline highlights selected decisions; it is not exhaustive, does not predict the outcome of any matter, and is not legal advice. Every entry links to an official court or government source.

Outcomes depend on jurisdiction, facts, deadlines, and later decisions. Check the linked source and current law before relying on a case.

01

National precedent

Federal rulings

  1. U.S. Supreme Court

    Olmstead v. L.C.

    Unjustified segregation of people with disabilities is discrimination under Title II. Public entities must provide community-based services when appropriate, not opposed by the person, and reasonably accommodated.

    Read the official source
  2. U.S. Supreme Court

    PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin

    Title III applied to professional golf events, and allowing a golfer with a disability to use a cart was a reasonable modification that did not fundamentally alter the competition in that case.

    Read the official source
  3. U.S. Supreme Court

    Tennessee v. Lane

    Congress validly applied Title II to protect the fundamental right of access to courts, reinforcing government obligations to make judicial services accessible.

    Read the official source
  4. U.S. Supreme Court

    A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools

    Students bringing ADA or Section 504 disability-discrimination claims are not subject to a uniquely demanding intent standard merely because the claim arises in education.

    Read the official source
02

State and city standards

New York rulings

  1. New York Court of Appeals

    Romanello v. Intesa Sanpaolo

    The court explained important differences between state and New York City disability-accommodation standards, including how requests for extended leave are evaluated.

    Read the official decision
  2. New York Court of Appeals

    Jacobsen v. NYC Health + Hospitals

    An employer generally cannot win summary judgment without showing that it genuinely considered a requested accommodation through a real interactive process.

    Read the official decision
  3. Appellate Division, Second Department

    Guarniero v. City of Yonkers

    The court revived a disability-accommodation claim because the city failed to establish that it meaningfully assessed the employee’s condition and requested reassignment.

    Read the official decision
  4. Appellate Division, First Department

    Zelmanovich v. Eastmore Owners Corp.

    The court allowed housing-discrimination and reasonable-accommodation claims involving a medically prescribed emotional-support animal to proceed past dismissal.

    Read the official decision
03

Florida and the Eleventh Circuit

Florida rulings

  1. U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

    Silberman v. Miami-Dade Transit

    A service-dog transit case clarified the demanding deliberate-indifference showing required to recover compensatory damages under Title II and Section 504 from a public entity.

    Read the official source
  2. U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

    United States v. Florida

    The Eleventh Circuit held that the U.S. Attorney General has authority to bring a civil action enforcing Title II of the ADA against a state.

    Read the official source
  3. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida

    United States v. Florida

    After trial, the court ruled that Florida violated Title II by unnecessarily institutionalizing children with complex medical needs and placing others at serious risk of institutionalization.

    Read the official source

Continue researching

Go to the source.

FederalDOJ Disability Rights Section↗New YorkOffice of the Chief Disability Officer↗FloridaCommission on Human Relations↗