[Nfbn-announce] National Federation of the Blind Secures Court Ruling Against Cardtronics

[Amy Buresh]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org

 


National Federation of the Blind Secures
 Court Ruling Against Cardtronics


Company Must Make ATMs Accessible or Face Sanctions


 

Baltimore, Maryland (December 19, 2011): A federal court has found that
Cardtronics, Inc., has failed to comply with the terms of a settlement and
subsequent remediation plan reached with the National Federation of the
Blind (NFB) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to make all of the
automated teller machines owned by Cardtronics accessible to the blind.  In
an order dated December 15, 2011, the Honorable Nathaniel M. Gorton of the
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts found that
Cardtronics had not complied with the terms of the settlement agreement or
remediation plan and that civil contempt was therefore appropriate.  Judge
Gorton ordered Cardtronics to comply with the remaining terms by March 15,
2012, or face monetary sanctions of $50 per month for each ATM that remained
inaccessible to blind users-giving the company the "Shakespearean warning"
to "beware the ides of March."

 

"Instead of admitting their non-compliance and promising better effort,
defendants disingenuously claim they have complied in spite of a plethora of
evidence to the contrary," Judge Gorton wrote in his memorandum opinion.
"The deadlines they have consistently missed were, ironically, the ones they
proposed in the first place."

 

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"It is critical that blind Americans have access to all of the technologies
that are now a part of everyday life in the twenty-first century if we are
to achieve full and equal integration into society, and this includes the
technology necessary to handle our finances.  Toward that end, we reached an
agreement with Cardtronics to make its ATMs accessible, and when problems
arose and initial deadlines were missed, we worked in good faith with the
company to come up with a workable remediation plan.  Sadly, however,
Cardtronics has not complied with the agreed terms of the remediation plan.
We are therefore pleased with the court's decision requiring Cardtronics to
meet its legal obligations."

 

 

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About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the
largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the
United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy,
education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and
self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the blindness field today and
the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and
training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.  Please
visit our Web site: www.nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org/> .