case summary
National Association of the Deaf v. Netflix
In 2012, a federal district court allowed an ADA Title III claim about captioning for an online streaming service to proceed. In October 2012 the parties entered a consent decree in which Netflix denied the allegations. As agreed settlement obligations, the decree provides $755,000 for the plaintiffs' attorneys' fees and costs and $40,000 to NAD for monitoring compliance. These were negotiated settlement terms, not damages, a government fine or a contested judgment of liability.
How to read this summary
This summary distinguishes allegations from a court ruling, settlement, damages, fees or a government penalty. It describes a dated historical record and does not assess the current accessibility of any party's website.
Sources and boundaries
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (copy of the consent decree)
Date: Consent decree, October 9, 2012
Netflix denied the allegations; the decree set captioning obligations and agreed payments of $755,000 for attorneys' fees and costs and $40,000 to NAD for monitoring.
Read the source: Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (copy of the consent decree)Reviewed October 8, 2026
U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Date: Memorandum and order, June 19, 2012
The court denied Netflix's motion for judgment on the pleadings, allowing the plaintiffs' public-accommodation claim to continue. The order was not a finding of liability.
Read the source: U.S. District Court for the District of MassachusettsReviewed October 8, 2026