California Disability Rights
Enforcing the Unruh Civil Rights Act — California's powerful state disability rights statute with $4,000 minimum statutory damages.
The Unruh Civil Rights Act (California Civil Code § 51) provides that all persons are entitled to full and equal accommodations in all business establishments. Critically, any violation of the ADA is automatically a violation of the Unruh Act — meaning California plaintiffs receive $4,000 minimum statutory damages per violation plus mandatory attorney fees on top of federal ADA remedies.
Available through our Los Angeles office for California residents and visitors.
Why California Is Different
The Unruh Act transforms every ADA violation into a state-law claim with significant monetary damages. While the ADA alone provides only injunctive relief and attorney fees, adding the Unruh Act creates:
- $4,000 minimum statutory damages per violation
- Mandatory attorney fees for prevailing plaintiffs
- No cap on the number of violations per visit
- Three times actual damages if actual damages exceed $4,000
- Both state and federal court filing options
Physical and Digital Barriers
The Unruh Act applies to both physical accessibility barriers (the same violations actionable under ADA Title III) and digital accessibility barriers (inaccessible websites and applications). A single inaccessible website visit by a California resident can generate Unruh Act claims alongside ADA claims.
Filing Options
California disability rights claims can be filed in California state court or, when paired with ADA claims, in federal court. Our Los Angeles office evaluates the optimal strategy for each case based on current judicial trends in both court systems.