FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CRT

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2009 (202) 514-2007

WWW.JUSTICE.GOV
TDD (202) 514-1888

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES COLORADO ATTORNEY FOR DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION

WASHINGTON – The United States has filed a lawsuit against Patric

LeHouillier, an attorney based in Colorado Springs, Colo., alleging that he
violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying a woman with a
service animal access to his offices, the Justice Department announced. The
complaint, filed today in federal court in Denver, alleges that the attorney
denied access to a woman, her husband and her attorney because the woman was
accompanied by her service animal, an Australian Shepherd dog trained to provide
disability-related assistance.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that individuals with

disabilities are guaranteed the same rights and access granted to everyone, and it
has prohibited discrimination against individuals who use service dogs for almost
20 years,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights
Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing the ADA to protect
the rights of persons with disabilities and to ensuring that all services
providers understand their obligation to provide equal access.”

A service animal is individually trained to work or perform tasks for the

benefit of an individual with a disability. Service animals – most commonly dogs
– perform a wide variety of functions. Examples of these functions include
guiding persons who are blind or have low vision; alerting individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing to sounds; warning persons about impending seizures or
other medical conditions; performing a variety of tasks for persons with
psychiatric disabilities and picking up items, opening doors, flipping switches,
providing physical support and pulling wheelchairs for individuals with mobility
disabilities.

Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination by lawyers, doctors,

hospitals, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, private transportation providers
and other private businesses and nonprofit organizations that provide services to
the public. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination by public entities,
including state and local governments and public transportation providers. All of
these entities are prohibited from excluding individuals with disabilities from
their facilities, services and programs because they use service animals. If any
of these entities has a rule excluding pets or other animals, it must make an
exception to that rule and permit an individual with a disability to be
accompanied by a service animal.

More information about today’s lawsuit, the ADA and ADA rights and
responsibilities relating to service animals is available on the ADA home page at
http://www.ada.gov. This information includes two publications specifically
addressing service animal access: “ADA Business Brief: Service Animals” and
“Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals in Places of Business.” Those
interested in obtaining copies of these documents or additional information can
also call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line (800) 514-0301
or (800) 514-0383 (TTY).

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