For much of America’s history, a person with a disability had few civil rights related to their disability. That began to change when, in the 1980s, a group of lawmakers started to agitate for sweeping civil rights legislation.

The result of their efforts was the Americans With Disabilities Act, or A.D.A.

Albert Dytch, a 71-year-old man with muscular dystrophy, has filed more than 180 A.D.A. lawsuits in California. Is it profiteering — or justice?

This story was written by Lauren Markham and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.