by Gary Rhoades, Deputy City Attorney

Can a landlord in Santa Monica unilaterally change a rental lease to avoid paying attorney fees when they lose a civil rights case?

The short answer is no. Normally, parties must bear their own attorney fees. But in a civil rights case, attorney fees are paid by the losing defendant. This exception applies in many federal and state anti-discrimination laws as well as Santa Monica’s own ordinances that prohibit housing discrimination and tenant harassment.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/landlords-cannot-avoid-paying-tenants-attorney-fees-in-housing-rights-cases/172060