Blog

Issues for the Attorney Advising the Common Interest Development Client 

By Kevin Mallett, Esq. 

In California, an armed security officer is authorized to carry a loaded firearm. Furthermore, an armed security officer is required to have additional certifications, training, and licensure over a security officer who is not carrying a firearm. By its very nature, armed security brings into play the potential for the use of deadly force. When a security officer draws a firearm, whether for the officer’s protection or the protection of others, it is an extreme situation with the very real potential for a death to occur. The concepts of "shooting to wound" or "firing warning shots" should be considered invalid; virtually all modern police agencies define any such practice as a violation of policy. If a security officer fires a weapon, that officer is responsible for ALL bullets that leave the weapon. Typically, security officers (like police officers) are trained to...

By Nicholas A. Rogers, Esq.

California Appellate Courts issued several important opinions addressing issues in community association law in 2022, including whether to award prevailing party attorney fees in an election challenge, affirming rules relating to Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP), the importance of complying with the pre-litigation Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) requirements, the consequence of failing to accurately complete an application for association insurance, and the role of equity in enforcement disputes.

PREVAILING PARTY ATTORNEY FEES

Artus v. Gramercy Towers Condominium Association (2022) 76 Cal.App.5th 1043

The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (CID Act) provides that in an action to enforce the governing documents, the prevailing party is awarded reasonable attorney fees and costs. A long line of published appellate opinions have affirmed a prevailing party’s right to such fees is mandatory....

Bias is a buzzword we hear often in today’s world, but for many it is difficult to understand or accept. Many approach the topic as though the goal is to "empty our minds" of bias (as if that were possible). However, the less we focus on and are aware of bias, the harder it is to recognize, identify, and control our biases so that they do not result in unintentional harm to others through unexamined discriminatory and prejudicial actions.

Here we will define bias and look at the way unintentional bias affects our behavior as individuals, community members, HOA members, directors, managers, and attorneys. We’ll consider the ways in which bias affects our communities in the form of laws, rules, policies, and documents and the way that we enforce these community covenants. We’ll consider the role of bias in our community interactions and how unlawful prejudice and discrimination resulting from bias exposes our communities to considerable legal risk. Finally,...