Girard v. Lincoln College

27 F. Supp. 3d 289, 2014 WL 2766075, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83091
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedJune 18, 2014
DocketNo. 3:12-cv-00703 (MPS)
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 27 F. Supp. 3d 289 (Girard v. Lincoln College) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Girard v. Lincoln College, 27 F. Supp. 3d 289, 2014 WL 2766075, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83091 (D. Conn. 2014).

Opinion

RULING ON MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

MICHAEL P. SHEA, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff, a former student at Lincoln College,1 filed a complaint on April 11, [292]*2922012, alleging various claims, including that Defendant violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by failing to reasonably accommodate Plaintiffs disability while she was enrolled as a student [Doc. # 1], Defendant has filed a Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 53] on the remaining counts of the Amended Complaint [Doc. # 37], which, following an earlier order granting in part Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss [Doc. # 49], are Counts One, Two, Five, and Six. Familiarity with the allegations in the underlying complaint and evidence in the record is assumed for purposes of this decision.

Because I find that the record contains sufficient evidence to raise a genuine issue of material fact as to Plaintiffs claim under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED as to that claim. Summary judgment is GRANTED as to all remaining claims. In particular, summary judgment is granted on the Americans with Disabilities Act claim because the portion of the statute applicable to Plaintiff, Title III, affords only injunctive relief, and any request for such relief would be moot due to the fact that Plaintiff has left Lincoln College and has shown no desire or intent to return; summary judgment is granted on the breach-of-contract claim because the only promises as to which the record supplies evidence of breach are not supported by consideration; and summary judgment is granted on the claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress because the only conduct that might fit that description was an intentional tort by the Defendant’s employee for which the Defendant is not vicariously liable.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Summary judgment is appropriate when the “pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). “A dispute regarding a material fact is genuine if .the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Williams v. Utica Coll. of Syracuse Univ., 453 F.3d 112, 116 (2d Cir.2006) (quotation marks omitted). Summary judgment is appropriate if, after discovery, the non-moving party “failed to make a sufficient showing on an essential element of [its] case with respect to which [it] has the burden of proof.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

III. DISCUSSION

A. Count One — Title III of the ADA

Count One alleges that Defendant failed to provide Plaintiff with a reasonable accommodation in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq. Although the-Amended Complaint does not specify under which title of the ADA Plaintiff brings her claim, because she has asserted claims against a private university, it appears that that the only applicable title is Title III, which is entitled “Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities.” See 42 U.S.C. § 12189 (“Any person that offers examinations or courses related to applications, licensing, certification, or credentialing for secondary or post-secondary education, professional, or trade pur[293]*293poses shall offer such examinations or courses in a place and manner accessible to persons with disabilities or offer alternative accessible arrangements for such individuals.”)- Title I applies to employment, see 42 U.S.C. § 12112(a), and Title II applies to “public entities,” see 42 U.S.C. § 12132, neither of which are at issue here. Thus, Plaintiffs claim arises under Title III of the ADA.

It is well-settled in the Second Circuit that Title III of the ADA allows only for injunctive relief, not damages. Brief v. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 423 Fed.Appx. 88, 90 (2d Cir.2011). Here, it is undisputed that Plaintiff no longer attends Lincoln College and is currently enrolled in a program at a different university. There is no evidence in the record that Plaintiff has any intent or desire to return to Lincoln College. Further, Count One of Plaintiffs Amended Complaint does not even seek injunctive relief. Accordingly, Plaintiffs claim under Title III of the ADA is moot. Id. (finding plaintiffs claim against medical school under Title III of the ADA moot where plaintiff had graduated from medical school, received his M.D., and was participating in a residency program). Summary judgment is therefore GRANTED as to Count One.

B. Count Two — Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Count Two alleges that Defendants failed to provide Plaintiff with a reasonable accommodation in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (“the Act”). Section 504 of the Act, which applies to programs receiving federal financial assistance, states that “ ‘[n]o otherwise qualified individual with a disability ... shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under’ any covered program or activity.” Powell v. Natl Bd. of Med. Exam’rs, 364 F.3d 79, 85 (2d Cir.2004) (quoting 29 U.S.C. § 794(a)). Defendant does not contest that Section 504 applies to it but argues that Plaintiffs Rehabilitation Act claims cannot survive summary judgment for several other reasons. As discussed below, I disagree.

To establish a prima facie violation under Section 504, a plaintiff must demonstrate that: (1) she is a “qualified individual” with a disability; (2) the defendant is subject to Section 504; and (3) she was “dénied the opportunity to participate in or benefit from defendants] services, programs, or activities, or [was] otherwise discriminated against by defendant ], by reason of [her] disability.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). With respect to the third element, a plaintiff may base a disability discrimination claim on the theory that the defendant failed to make a reasonable accommodation. Fulton v. Goord, 591 F.3d 37, 43 (2d Cir.2009). Unlike Title III of the ADA, the Act does allow for the recovery of damages.

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Bluebook (online)
27 F. Supp. 3d 289, 2014 WL 2766075, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83091, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/girard-v-lincoln-college-ctd-2014.