Opinion ID: 788125
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Preservation of the Vicarious Liability Claims

Text: 13 Defendants argue that the Holleys failed to preserve their claim that Meyer may be liable under traditional principles of vicarious liability. However, we find that the Holleys raised the issue in their opening brief when they argued that Meyer's liability turned on HUD regulation 24 C.F.R. § 103.20(b). At the outset, we note that we read opening briefs liberally. See People of Guam v. Reyes, 879 F.2d 646, 648 (9th Cir.1989) (citing Fed. Sav. and Loan Ins. Co. v. Haralson, 813 F.2d 370, 373-74 n. 3 (11th Cir.1987)). Because the Supreme Court held that the HUD regulations mean that traditional rules of vicarious liability apply, see Meyer, 537 U.S. at 286-87, 123 S.Ct. 824, we construe the opening brief's discussion of the HUD regulations as adequately raising, and thereby preserving, the traditional vicarious liability claims.