Litigation, Summary Judgment

Litigation, Summary Judgment

Our client is the County of Los Angeles, which passed an ordinance banning sales of firearms on County property. The plaintiff is a lessor of County property operating a shotgun shooting facility. The plaintiff sued, in Federal Court, for breach of contract, alleging that the ordinance, which deprived them of a right otherwise allowed by the lease (the sale of firearms), was a taking. The matter proceeded through discovery and was ready for trial. We filed a motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, a motion for summary judgment. We obtained an order dismissing the case. The Court subsequently awarded both costs and a portion of the attorney’s fees incurred by the County. Although the County normally requires that appeals be handled by a different firm, based on our excellent result and the specialized nature of this matter, we have been authorized to represent the County on appeal. We are also representing the County in the subsequently filed state court action.