Plaintiff
- Name: Tazinique Echols
- Filing Date: February 25, 2026
- Court: United States District Court Northern District of Illinois
- State: Illinois
- Attorney Firm: Equal Access Law Group, PLLC
Defendant
- Name: Harney & Sons Tea Corp.
- Website: www.harney.com
- Industry: Food Products
- Standards Cited: WCAG 2.2
- Summary: Provides consumers access to an array of goods and services, including the ability to purchase a selection of premium teas and tea-related items.
Case Summary
According to the complaint, Tazinique Echols, a visually impaired individual, is suing Harney & Sons Tea Corp. for failing to make its website, https://www.harney.com, accessible to blind users. Echols 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, as well as compensatory damages for affected individuals.
Causes of Action
- Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Declaratory Relief
Key Allegations
- Website is inaccessible to visually impaired individuals
- Defendant failed to provide necessary accommodations for screen-reader users
- Access barriers prevent blind individuals from completing transactions
Requested Relief
- Permanent injunction requiring Defendant to make the Website accessible
- Compensatory damages for Class Members
- Certification of this case as a class action
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).
