Plaintiff
- Name: Mary Ann Deinnocentes
- Filing Date: February 2, 2026
- Court: United States District Court Northern District of Indiana
- State: Indiana
- Attorney Firm: Equal Access Law Group, PLLC
Defendant
- Name: The Cato Corporation
- Website: www.catofashions.com
- Industry: Retailing
- Standards Cited: WCAG 2.2
- Summary: Provides consumers access to an array of women's clothing and fashion accessories, including dresses, tops, bottoms, outerwear, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and plus-size apparel.
Case Summary
According to the complaint, plaintiff Mary Ann Deinnocentes, a visually impaired individual, is suing The Cato Corporation for failing to make its website, https://www.catofashions.com, accessible to blind users. Deinnocentes alleges that the website contains significant barriers that prevent her and others from independently navigating and completing purchases. The complaint cites violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and seeks a permanent injunction to require the defendant to make necessary changes to the website to ensure accessibility. Deinnocentes claims that the lack of accessible features, such as alternative text for images and proper labeling of form fields, has denied her equal access to the goods and services offered online.
Causes of Action
- Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Declaratory Relief
Key Allegations
- Website is inaccessible to visually impaired individuals
- Failure to provide necessary accommodations for screen-reader users
- Denial of equal access to goods and services offered on the Website
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 the Website discriminates against visually impaired individuals
- Class action certification
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).
