The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case Wednesday involving a Florida woman's lawsuit against a Maine hotel for not providing accessibility information.
Deborah Laufer is a "tester" who looks through hotel websites for information on their accommodations for people with disabilities.
Three years ago, Laufer sued Acheson Hotels, which owns the Coast Village Inn and Cottages in Wells, for not sharing that information, which she said violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Acheson moved to dismiss the case, saying that Laufer couldn't sue because she didn't plan to visit the hotel. A district court agreed, but an appeals court reversed that ruling, and the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up the case.
Civil rights groups have voiced support for Laufer in the case, saying that "testers" like her are important to ensure businesses comply with federal law.
But the company insists that Laufer does not have standing in the case, and notes that it now includes information on its website saying that the hotel is not ADA-accessible.
