Countersuing ADA litigator pays off for one business
Publisher’s note: Scott Johnson has been making the rounds in South Lake Tahoe, too.
By Nicole Banks, North Sac News
“I almost fell out of my chair.”
That’s the response Johnnie Walker had after learning the judge’s verdict.
Those legal costs were the result of one letter. That letter was from Scott Johnson, an ADA litigator from Carmichael. Johnson’s letters have appeared on doorsteps throughout the state from restaurants to dentist offices to gas stations. The notice states that the business must become compliant with various changes to disabled signage and parking as required by the American’s with Disabilities Act. It gives notice to alter the property and/or to settle with Johnson monetarily. For businesses unaware of the guidelines, it is a shock; some of whom risk shutting down for the cost of paying thousands of dollars in fees or construction for the proper wheelchair slopes, redesigning of the interior of a location and parking expansions.
For Johnnie Walker, it meant he was getting sued. He manages the property at 6500 Watt Ave., but wasn’t the one to receive the letter. It was his tenant, operators of a massage therapy office.
“I’d never seen the guy before in my life. Neither had the people leasing my property. In court he had no receipts, no proof he came to the business. First I thought it was a joke or something. But it turns out this guy wanted a lot of money.”
He found out what Johnson was doing was neither a joke nor illegal.
Kudos to Johnnie Walker for putting in the effort to fight this. Lawsuit abuse costs ALL of us. Congratulations on your win!
I agree everyone should be ADA compliant. Every business in town is now compliant. I would think it would be a nice community service for the City to send out ADA updates with business license renewal notices and/or for the Chamber to routinely keep their members apprised of the law changes as part of their member services – not just after their members get Johnsons’ letters. But I don’t understand why his letters for a settlement sum don’t amount to extortion. Most business people I’ve talked to know Johnson was never in their place of business and sometimes his “accomplice” only comes in to find out their mailing address. That is outrageous and certainly an abuse of the legal system
Whats the damage if he can’t go to a business? The only thing easier to get than a prop 215 medical pot scrip is an ADA free parking anywhere plate. The doctors should be held to account for these disabled plates but their not, and until they are they will give them out like M&Ms.
Kae, Was this a fed. or state case and who was the lawyer for Johnson?
The road to hades is paved with the best of intentions.
No good deed goes unpunished.
The law of unintended consequences.
Take your pick for the ADA.
This Johnson guy is a predator and extorts people. It has nothing to do with fixing things for the entire disabled community, he is not their advocate. He just wants personal reward from his fear tactics. He needs to be stopped all over California.
Yesterday in the Sierra Sun was a story about the diner at Donner Lake that just closed after 20 years in business following a run in with Scott Johnson. I question how the landlord is never the focus or offers to help out. They are the ones making the real dough, but the business that is providing jobs and paying taxes is the one that foots the bill for putting in the improvements. In the Donner Lake case, good people are walking away from their a heritage business and the landowner will not be required to make any improvements. The next tenant is not named in Scott Johnson’s suit, so he will have to come back in his spy van and send another letter to the unknowing new tenant who likely leveraged their home to start up the American dream. The landlord is sipping cocktails at their 6,000 sf home in Mexico.
Not everyone has an ace property manager like Johnny Walker.
It’s like we need protection from our own protections.
Why doesn’t someone set up a website, something like “Scott Johnson Lawsuits”, that folks could go to and put their basic data ( IE : restaurant / S. Tahoe /1-1-11 ) to track his “vexatious litigant” reputation out in front of the public to see ? Does anyone know how to do this ? Maybe get an attorney to help with a questions and answers section. This fellow knows all the rules as they apply to his side of this lawsuit deal, and we as business owners have no place to turn to get good information, like about this SB1680. Can anyone tell us if we can still be sued if we fix our buildings in the 90 days? or if he even has to wait for the 90 days to come after us in court? He knows we all cannot afford to get a lawyer.