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Former Los Angeles Police K-9 Handler Awarded $11.5 Million in Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination and Retaliation

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Los Angeles, California – A former Los Angeles police K-9 handler has been awarded $11.5 million in a recent jury verdict. Mark Sauvao, a 30-year veteran of the LAPD, claimed that he faced retaliation and discrimination due to his Samoan ancestry. Sauvao alleged that he was unfairly punished after reporting his colleagues for name-calling and endured false rumors being spread about him. During the trial, Sauvao stated that officers within the department referred to him using derogatory terms such as “cannibal” and “barefoot coconut tree-climber”. Additionally, one supervisor allegedly referred to him as Tongan, which … Read more

Upstate Lawsuit Exposes Real Estate Commission Inflation and Pushes for Seller’s Fair Share

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Greenville, South Carolina – A lawsuit challenging real estate commission rules was presented in federal court in Charleston on Thursday. The lawsuit claims that one of the major real estate firms inflated commissions, and argues that home sellers should not be required to pay the full commission. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation will determine whether the case will be tried in South Carolina or joined with other buyer/broker cases nationwide to be heard by one federal judge. It should be noted that this case is separate from the recent settlement reached by the … Read more

Federal Judge Upholds First Amendment Rights, Rules in Favor of Oregon Church in Homeless Meal Service Case

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Brookings, Oregon – A federal judge has ruled in favor of a church in a First Amendment case, preventing a southern Oregon city from shutting down the church’s homeless meal service. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke deemed an ordinance passed by the city of Brookings to be a violation of the religious freedom rights of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. The church has been providing meals to the homeless since 2009. The ordinance required a permit to serve free food in residential areas and limited the church’s meal services to only two days a week. In … Read more

Property Owners Take Legal Action Against Athens-Clarke Commissioners’ Regulations on Short-term Rentals

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Athens, Georgia – A group of short-term rental property owners in Athens-Clarke County have taken legal action against the county commissioners. The property owners filed a lawsuit on Monday, alleging that the new regulations imposed by the commissioners are unconstitutional and violate their property rights. The controversy stems from new rules that were implemented to address concerns about the impact of short-term rentals on residential neighborhoods. The regulations include restrictions on the number of guests allowed, parking requirements, and licensing fees. According to the lawsuit, the property owners argue that the regulations are overly burdensome … Read more