United States v. Aqua 388 Community Association

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Case No. 2:23-cv-02498-SB-JPR

EMMA ADAMS,

Plaintiff,

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE RE

v. SANCTIONS

AQUA 388 COMMUNITY

ASSOCIATION et al.,

Defendants.

Plaintiff, an owner of a condominium unit, filed a claim against Defendants, contending that her rights under the Fair Housing Act were violated when they failed to provide her with a reasonable parking accommodation. In its summary judgment ruling, the Court agreed with Plaintiff. The case then proceeded to trial on both compensatory and punitive damages. One of the principal disputes to be decided at trial was whether Defendants acted with malice, oppression, or reckless disregard of Plaintiff’s rights.

Before trial commenced, Defendants informed Plaintiff that they would be calling a lawyer, Michael Rabkin, who had advised them at the relevant time that they were not required to provide Plaintiff with the requested parking space as a form of accommodation. Defendants sought to introduce this evidence to show that they did not have the mental state required to expose them to punitive damages because they were merely relying on the advice…