Court tosses disabled gamer's suit against Sony

A U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has dismissed a lawsuit against Sony Corporation of America and its related gaming branches (SCEA and SOE) which alleged the company denies access to its services for people with disabilities. According to court documents, plaintiff Alexander Stern argued that his "visual processing impairments" prevent him from enjoying titles manufactured by Sony and its game divisions.

Stern had filed the suit last October, claiming Sony's practices had violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to Game Politics, the court stated that in order to prove a violation of Title III of the ADA a plaintiff must show: "(1) [the plaintiff] is disabled within the meaning of the ADA; (2) the defendant is a private entity that owns, leases, or operates a place of public accommodation; and (3) the plaintiff was denied public accommodations by the defendant because of [the plaintiff's] disability."

In the dismissal notice (PDF), the court ruled that because Sony is not a "place of public accommodation" it was "not liable" for violating Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.