News Brief
Deatherage and Hunter See Justice Served in Contentious Dispute between Neighbors, Assisted by Colleagues Del Gatto and Delay
Erica Deatherage (Associate-Phoenix, AZ) and Ramona Hunter (Of Counsel-Seattle, WA) obtained a defense verdict in a highly contentious dispute between neighbors venued in King County Superior Court, Seattle, Washington. The plaintiffs literally chased our clients from their home by engaging in a war of harassment that escalated into litigation. The plaintiffs alleged that our clients violated the governing CC&Rs (covenants, conditions and restrictions) of the neighborhood by making minor changes to their property (gravel groundcover and a shade canopy on their deck). The plaintiffs sought injunctive relief and attorneys’ fees and costs, which they drove up over the two-year prosecution. The plaintiffs were given many chances to walk away for little or no legal fee reimbursement, but refused. Erica and Ramona convinced the trial court that under the plain language of the CC&Rs the plaintiffs’ allegations failed in both fact and law. The court denied the plaintiffs any relief and issued a full defense verdict; also, the plaintiffs are liable for more than $200,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs. Brian Del Gatto (Partner-Phoenix, AZ) and Hailey Delay (Associate-Seattle, WA) assisted in trial preparation and defense of the claim pre-trial and during the trial.