Alachua County commissioners are getting to know Juan Carlos Gil.
Gil is blind and has cerebral palsy — and in recent years has become a serial litigator, with about 200 cases to his name.
He takes to court government agencies and businesses, claiming in most of the cases that their websites and digital facilities are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). News reports indicate many of those he sues wind up settling out of court.
In his Alachua County lawsuit filed last month, Gil — who lives in South Florida — claims information on the county's website can't be read by his screen reader. That, his complaint states, discriminates against him and people with disabilities similar to his.
The county commission on Tuesday afternoon will go into a closed litigation strategy session with its county attorney to discuss how they want to handle the case. The last page of Gil's suit says he wants damages awarded in a jury trial and wants the county to pay his litigation expenses and attorney fees.
In November, Gil told the Palm Beach Post that by filing the lawsuits he is "fighting for equality."