Statute of Limitatinos
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Quick Hits – This week we are getting technical
The ADA and FHA decisions handed down in the last few weeks share a common theme: technicalities matter. Sometimes the lack of technical standards increases the time and money spent in litigation, as in the first entry below, but more often technical matters of procedure and expert testimony determine the outcome of a case. The Continue reading
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Endless liability under the Fair Housing Act — and let’s make it personal
I often remind my clients that when it comes to the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act the adage “ignorance is bliss” does not apply. Last week’s decision from the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. v. Dawn Properties, Inc. et al 2014 WL 5775324 (S.D. Miss. Nov. 6, 2014) is a reminder that ignorance Continue reading
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A statute of repose proposal for FHA and ADA design/build liability
Last week I described how liability for design/build claims under the FHA can last forever. The same problem exists with design/build claims under the ADA, as shown by the decision in Frame v. City of Arlington. There are even surprises with the statute of limitations for barrier removal cases. For example, after a plaintiff encounters an access barrier he Continue reading
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Endless liability for FHA design/build claims is alive and well
The apartment complex is complete, the construction crews have gone home, and a certificate of occupancy has been issued. A decade passes, and then another. The apartments are sold and the developer, contractor and architect move on to other projects. Any complaints about construction of the apartments in compliance with FHA accessibility requirements seem lost in the Continue reading
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Squabbles and Battles – when winning matters.
This week two district courts, one in Oregon and one in Florida, confronted defendants determined to make sure that no one would be allowed to know whether they had violated the FHA or ADA. One seems to involve only a pointless squabble that increased legal expenses for no good purpose. The other shows how a Continue reading
