The small businesses of Volusia County, Florida, are currently facing a grave threat to their existence due to a series of frivolous and abusive lawsuits. These lawsuits, purportedly for technical violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are targeting family-owned businesses, including the local establishment, Capelly Two, LLC d/b/a Country Line Saloon in DeLeon Springs.

The plaintiff, Tavia Wagner, has filed a lawsuit alleging violation of ADA regulations. While the ADA is an essential law that protects the rights and dignity of individuals with disabilities, it has sadly been misused in this context. The intention of the ADA is clear: to ensure accessibility and non-discrimination. However, exploiting this law to initiate legal proceedings without giving businesses a fair chance to rectify any oversight is an injustice in itself.

Country Line Saloon is not a faceless corporation but a family-run enterprise that has been serving the community with dedication and care. It was opened to provide good food, live entertainment, and, most importantly, to create 15 new full-time jobs in the community. Now, because of this lawsuit, those jobs and the business itself are in jeopardy.

More troubling is that this is not an isolated case. A pattern is emerging where small businesses across Volusia County are increasingly becoming targets of such legal actions, threatening the economic vitality of the entire region. Ms. Wagner has a known history of filing lawsuits against multiple small businesses, using the ADA not as a genuine tool for accessibility, but as a means of financial gain.

Consider these facts: small businesses contribute to nearly 44% of U.S. economic activity and are essential in providing jobs and services to local communities. When they are bogged down by unnecessary legal challenges, their capacity to thrive diminishes, impacting not only business owners but also employees, families, and neighborhoods.

We fully support accessibility and inclusion — those are non-negotiable values. But what is happening here is not about accessibility. It is about profiting from lawsuits rather than achieving meaningful improvements for people with disabilities. This kind of exploitation hurts everyone.

What We Are Asking
We call on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida to dismiss the frivolous lawsuit against Capelly Two, LLC d/b/a Country Line Saloon.
We urge lawmakers, legal authorities, and community leaders to revisit how ADA lawsuits are handled against small businesses. Create mechanisms where businesses are first informed and given an opportunity to make improvements before being dragged into expensive and time-consuming litigation.
We call on the community to stand up and protect small businesses from abusive legal tactics that do more harm than good.
Why This Matters
Small businesses are the backbone of Volusia County. They employ local people, provide gathering spaces, and strengthen the local economy. When predatory lawsuits force closures, we lose not only businesses, but also jobs, community connections, and the livelihoods of hardworking families.

Join Us
By signing this petition, you are standing up for fairness, accessibility, and the future of our community. Let’s protect both the rights of individuals with disabilities and the survival of small businesses. Together, we can ensure a just process that promotes accessibility while safeguarding economic growth and stability in Volusia County and beyond.

Sign now to demand fairness, protect small businesses, and stop abusive ADA lawsuits.