Plaintiff
- Name: Daniel Barlow
- Filing Date: April 29, 2026
- Court: United States District Court Northern District of Illinois
- State: Illinois
- Attorney Firm: Equal Access Law Group, PLLC
Defendant
- Name: Country Wine & Spirits, Inc.
- Website: cwspirits.com
- Industry: Beverages
- Standards Cited: WCAG 2.2
- Summary: Provides consumers access to an array of goods and services, including the ability to purchase a variety of premium spirits and wines, including whiskey, tequila, vodka, rum, gin, and champagne, along with curated gift sets, cocktail kits, bar accessories, and limited-edition bottles.
Case Summary
According to the complaint, Daniel Barlow, a visually impaired individual, is suing Country Wine & Spirits, Inc. for failing to make its website, cwspirits.com, accessible to blind users. Barlow alleges that the website contains significant barriers that prevent him and others from independently navigating and completing transactions. He claims this violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Barlow seeks a permanent injunction to require the defendant to make the website accessible and compensatory damages for the discrimination faced. The complaint highlights various accessibility issues, including the lack of alternative text for images and the requirement of mouse use for navigation, which excludes visually impaired individuals from accessing the website's services.
Causes of Action
- Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Key Allegations
- Website is inaccessible to visually impaired individuals
- Access barriers prevent independent navigation and transactions
- Defendant failed to implement necessary accessibility features
Requested Relief
- Preliminary and permanent injunction to prohibit Defendant from violating the ADA
- Injunction requiring Defendant to make the Website compliant with the ADA
- Declaration that Defendant discriminates against the visually impaired
- Order certifying this case as a class action
- Pre- and post-judgment interest
- Award of costs and expenses of this action together with reasonable attorneys’ and expert fees
Proposed Class
all legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to access the Website and as a result have been denied access to the enjoyment of goods and services offered by the Website, during the relevant statutory period.
Jurisdiction & Venue
This Court has subject-matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 42 U.S.C. § 12182; venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. §1391(b)(1) and (2).
