Source: https://trellis.law/ca/issue-type/confidential-casp-report-430
Timestamp: 2020-07-12 02:34:49
Document Index: 191403816

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§55', '§ 55', '§ 5600', '§425', '§ 425']

What is a Confidential CASp Report?
Purpose and Scope of Statute for "Certified Access Specialist" or "CASp"
In chapter 549 of the 2008 Statutes (Sen. Bill No. 1608 (2007-2008 Reg. Sess.), the Legislature enacted several provisions:
a requirement that any attorney serving a complaint or sending a demand for money for a "construction-related accessibility claim" must include a notice informing the recipient, among other things, that he or she is not required to pay any money until found liable by a court and may have a right to have the action stayed pending an early evaluation conference (Sec. 55.3);
procedures for voluntary inspection of a property by a "certified access specialist" or "CASp" (Sec, 55.53);
procedures for staying actions raising construction-related accessibility claims for 90 days (extendable to 180 days), if the property has been inspected by a CASp, for the plaintiff to provide details of his or her claims, damages, and attorney fees incurred, and for the court to hold an early evaluation conference during the stay period in order to evaluate the site's current condition and progress toward correcting any alleged violations, settlement possibilities, and sharing of further information between the parties (§ 55.54); and
provisions for the court to consider written settlement offers made and rejected when determining the amount of reasonable attorney fees on a construction-related accessibility claim (§ 55.55).
(Munson v. Del Taco (2009) 46 Cal.4th 661, 677.)
2017 Amendment Concerning Commercial Property Owners or Lessors AB 2093
Requires the commercial property owner or lessor to state on every lease form or rental agreement executed on or after January 1, 2017, whether or not the premises have been inspected by a CASp specialist. The bill [requires] a commercial property owner or lessor to provide the lessee or tenant with a current disability access inspection certificate and inspection report or a copy of a CASp inspection report, as specified, if the premises have been issued an inspection report indicating that they meet applicable standards. If the premises have not been issued a disability access inspection certificate, the bill would require a statement on the lease form or rental agreement stating that, upon request of the lessee or tenant, the property owner may not prohibit a CASp inspection of the subject premises and that the parties must mutually agree on the arrangements for the time and manner of the inspection, the payment of the associated fee, and the cost of making repairs, as specified.
Requires a property owner or lessor of premises that have been subject to CASp inspection, and that remain unmodified or altered, as specified, since the date of the inspection and the lease or rental agreement with regard to construction-related accessibility standards, to provide a copy of the report that is to remain confidential except as necessary to make repairs and corrections, as specified.
Establishes a presumption that making repairs or modifications necessary to correct violations of construction-related accessibility standards that are noted in a CASp report is the responsibility of the commercial property owner or lessor unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties to the lease or rental agreement. The bill [grants] a prospective lessee or tenant the opportunity to review any CASp report prior to execution of the lease or rental agreement, and if the report is not provided at least 48 hours prior to execution of a lease or rental agreement, the bill would grant a prospective lessee or tenant the right to rescind the lease or agreement, based upon information in the report, for 72 hours after execution.
(Legislative Council Digest Assembly Bill No. 2093, An act to amend Section 1938 of the Civil Code, relating to disability access, and declaring the urgency thereof...)
Useful Rulings on Confidential CASp Report
LORENZO MARTINEZ VS LONG BELLFLOWER LLC
CASE NAME: Martinez v. Long Bellflower, LLC, et al. CASE NO.: BC702328 HEARING DATE: 12/6/18 DEPARTMENT: 37 CALENDAR NOS.: 4 FILING DATE: 4/12/18 FSC/TRIAL DATE: None NOTICE: OK MOTION: Application for Early Evaluation and Stay MOVING PARTY: Defendant Long Bellflower, LLC RESPONDING PARTY: Plaintiff Lorenzo Martinez The Court GRANTS the application as described below and STAYS the proce...
..(“ADA”). Plaintiff Lorenzo Martinez (“Martinez”) contends that he is blind and that the accessible route on leading to and from the Business does not have the detectable warnings required by Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (the California Building Code, “CBC”), creating an unnecessary risk of injury to blind and visually impaired persons. Defendant Long Bellflower, LLC (“Long Bel...
BEST, ROBERT VS DONUTS EXPRESS
No dispositive tentative ruling is issued as to Defendant 1353 West Rosecrans, LLC’s Application for a Stay of Proceedings. Background Plaintiff alleges that he is a disabled person who, on February 13, 2017, was denied access to Defendant Donut Express (located at Defendant 1353 West Rosecrans, LLC) and/or to facilities therein in violation of, among other things, the Americans with Disabilitie...
..the CASp has been issued. Defendant submits photographs evidencing the correction of the alleged violations giving rise to the construction-related claims. The photographs depict the sidewalk and handicapped parking signs in front of Donut Express and seem to indicate accessibility. Defendant has noticed an Early Evaluation Conference for July 26, 2017 in connection with its request. Legal Stan...
NAVARRO, ANTHONY VS YOGURT, MENCHIES FROZEN
Defendants Menchies Frozen Yogurt and Zimar, Inc.’s unopposed Application for a Stay of Proceedings is GRANTED. Background Plaintiff alleges that he is a disabled person who, on November 15, 2016, was denied access to Defendant Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and/or to facilities therein in violation of, among other things, the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Plaintiff commenced this action on May 2, 2017. Def...
..s noticed an Early Evaluation Conference for July 26, 2017 in connection with its request. Legal Standard Under Cal. Civ. Code §§ 55.54(d)(4)(B) and 55.545(c)(2), a defendant may request a stay of proceedings based on a connected request for an early evaluation conference on the ground that the site at issue has been inspected by a CASp. The defendant must serve a copy of the CASp report at le...
Alfred Pirjanians, et al. v. Windsor Capital Group, Inc.
Nature of Proceedings: Motion Strike 3rd Amended Complaint CASE: Alfred Pirjanians, et al. v. Windsor Capital Group, Inc., Case No. 16CV03797 (Judge Sterne) HEARING DATE: April 9, 2018 MATTER: Motion to Strike Portions of Plaintiffs’ Third Amended Complaint without Leave to Amend ATTORNEYS: Gor Mnatsakanyan for Plaintiffs Alfred Pirjanians, Arusyak Pirjanians, and Aidan Pirjanians Zoje...
..er 22, 2015 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Lompoc, California. At the time of the incident, plaintiff Alfred Pirjanians was a guest at the hotel along with his wife, plaintiff Arusyak Pirjanians, and their two year old son, plaintiff Aidan Pirjanians. The hotel is owned by defendant Windsor Capital Group, Inc. The room where the Pirjanianses were staying was advertised as ADA compliant and include...
GABRIELA CABRERA VS. EINSTEIN AND NOAH CORP.
TENTATIVE RULING EARLY EVALUATION CONFERENCE [Civil Code §55.54.] Calendar: 9 Date: 6/9/17 Case No.: EC 066410 Case Name: Cabrera v. Einstein and Noah Corp. Moving Party: Defendant Einstein and Noah Corp. Responding Party: Plaintiff Gabriala Cabrera RULING: Conduct Early Evaluation Conference. RELIEF REQUESTED: High frequency litigant disclosures Payment of high frequency litigant fil...
..ch, as the dispensers were placed out of plaintiff’s reach and the countertop on which they were located did not provide the proper knee clearance. Plaintiff alleges that defendant has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Civil Code sections 54 and 54.1. ANALYSIS: Defendant Einstein and Noah Corp. filed an Application for Stay and Early Evaluation Conference, and the court issued...
LANGER, CHRIS VS 235 S. LA CIENEGA BLVD. ASSOCIATES,
Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED. Background Request for Judicial Notice Defendant New Millenium Foods, Inc. owns and operates Subway Restaurant (“Restaurant”) located at 233 S. La Cienga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, now and did so in January 2014, with Defendant 235 S. La Cienega Blvd. Associates, LLC., owning the property located at or about 233 S. La Cienga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA....
..urt on February 24, 2014. (Complaint, ¶10.) During the course of that suit, Defendants installed a new parking space, mooting out the federal cause of action under the ADA. (Id.) Judgment was entered in favor of the Defendant on this federal cause of action. The court, declining to exercise supplemental jurisdiction, dismissed the state claims without prejudice to them being refiled in state cou...
Recent Rulings on Confidential CASp Report
VASILE PROPERTIES AIRPORT PLAZA, LLC; A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VS MOGES BELAYNHE WONDEMTEKA
On January 30, 2019, Plaintiff procured a Certified Access Specialist inspector to conduct an inspection of the Premises. (Vasile Decl. ¶ 20.) The inspector identified 16 ADA and/or CBC violations existing on the Premises primarily attributed to the unauthorized modifications made by Defendant. (Ibid.)
Defendant contends that the site has been inspected by a Certified Access Specialist (“CASp”) and that an inspection report by a CASp relating to the site has been issued.
’” ● “On September 30, 2015, a certified access specialist (‘CASp’), Paul A Joelson, conducted an Accessibility Compliance Audit and issued a report (‘REPORT’), which states that the installation of wall-mounted folding shower seat in the guestroom number 104 ‘is not compliant . . . with California Building Code (‘CBC’), and expressly warns [defendant] that in his experience ‘this has been the cause of numerous accidents and injuries.
JOSEPH SALATINO VS TARGET CORPORATION
Defendant provides the Declaration of Kim Blackseth, who is an expert in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as a Certified Access Specialist with the State of California. (Blackseth Decl., at ¶ 3.) However, this declaration focuses on the fact that the Plaintiff should have used the ADA compliant access system rather than the sloped sidewalk entrance. (Id. at ¶¶10-11.) The only evidence Defendant provides relating to the obviousness of the danger of the sloped sidewalk is Mr.
Request No. 2 from the deposition notice is: “IDENTIFY and produce any and all COMMUNICATIONS RELATING TO inspections of the HOTEL between DEFENDANT and a Certified Access Specialist (as defined in California Civil Code section 55.52. (3)).” The response to Request No. 2 is: “Responding Party objects to this request on the grounds it is impermissibly overbroad as to time; it fails to indicate a specific, reasonable, and applicable time period. Furthermore, this request is overbroad as to scope.
GERALD CROSBY VS CCMH MARINA LLC
The definition in question was initially enacted as part of a bill requiring licensed architects to complete disability access coursework to renew their licenses, and creating the certified access specialist system, pursuant to which specialists could inspect site and structures to assess “barrier removal”. (Id.; see also Civ. Code § 55.53 and Bus. & Prof. Code § 5600(d), all enacted as part of Stats.2008, c. 549 (S.B. 1608).) In short, a common sense reading of Civ.
CROSBY, GERALD VS XLD CENTURY LLC
Defendant further argues that Plaintiff admitted that the parking was in compliance with the CASp report within sixty days of the service of that complaint. (DSF 21.) Defendant proffers the undisputed fact that Plaintiff also admits that the alleged barriers did not exist as of the date that the instant Complaint was filed, and further admits that the alleged barriers were corrected no later than April 30, 2014. (DSF 17,21.)
Defendant asserts that the site has been inspected by a Certified Access Specialist (“CASp”) and that an inspection report by the CASp has been issued. Defendant submits photographs evidencing the correction of the alleged violations giving rise to the construction-related claims. The photographs depict the sidewalk and handicapped parking signs in front of Donut Express and seem to indicate accessibility.
Defendant asserts that the site has been inspected by a Certified Access Specialist (“CASp”) and that an inspection report by the CASp has been issued, a copy of which is attached to the application. Defendant has noticed an Early Evaluation Conference for July 26, 2017 in connection with its request. Legal Standard Under Cal. Civ.
LEVINSON V. KHARAZI
Motions: (1) By Defendants Millennium Acquisitions, LLC, Timeless Investments, Inc., Chase, Inc., and Zlfred’s Inc., for attorney’s fees; (2) By Defendants H. Ty Kharazi and R.W. Yarra, APLC for attorney’s fees; (3) By Defendant Robert Shiralian for attorney’s fees; (4) By Defendants Millennium Acquisitions, LLC, Timeless Investments,...
MILLENNIUM ACQUISITIONS, LLC V. LEVINSON, ET AL.
Motion: By Plaintiff to stay execution of order to pay attorney’s fees. Tentative Ruling: To deny the motion for an “automatic stay.” This ruling is without prejudice to Plaintiffs’ ability to prepare an undertaking or other security pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 917.1 and/or 995.710. The request for a temporary stay for ten days...
MILLENNIUM ACQUISITIONS, LLC V. LEVINSON
Motion: By Defendants Levinson and West Coast CASp and ADA Services, Inc. for attorney’s fees pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure §425.15, subdivision (c). Tentative Ruling: To grant the motion for attorney’s fees. The Court awards $13,749.00 in fees. Explanation: In any action subject to [a special motion to strike], a prevailing defendant . . . shall be entitled to recover his or her attorney's fees and costs." (Code Civ. Proc. § 425.16, subd. (c).)