QUADRILLE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, JA VIER ARRIETA AND ...

1 INTHECIRCUITCOURTOFTHEFIFTEENTHJUDICIALC IRCUIT,INANDFORPALMBEACHCOUNTY,FLORIDACA SENO.:S02007CA0190S3 XXXX~DIV:AWQUADRILLEHOMEOWNERSASSOCIATIO N,INC., plaintiff , , ' ,JAVIERARRIETAANDCARMENBRAVO, and4 , 6,8,9,10,11,13, ,5,7, through6 and12oftheComplaintasif ,theDefendants,JAVIERARRIETAANDCARMENBRA VO, FailuretoStatea CauseofActionuponwhichreliefcanbegranted ,asthePlaintiffhasfailedtosufficientlypl eada ,theDefendants, 'sselectiveenforcementoftheCovenantsandD ocumentswithinthecommunityis a \iIATIVEDEFENSEA stheFourthAffirmativeDefense,theDefendan tsassertsthatPlaintiff'sdamageswerecause d,inwholeorinpart,asa resultofPlaintiff'sownnegligence,therefo re, plaintiff 'srecovery,if any, , , , ' ,theDefendantsassertthatwhiletheDetendan tsdenythatthePlaintiffisentitledtoanyrec overywhatsoever,totheextentthatthePlaint iff'sallegeddamagesarecausedinwholeorinp artbythirdpartieswhoarenotpartiestothisa ction.

2 Liabilityshallbeapportionedaccordingtofa ult,irrespectiveofwhethersuchthirdpartie sbecomepartiestothisactionPage3 ,theDefendantsassertthatanydamagesallege dbythePlaintiffweretheresultofintervenin gorsupersedingevents,factors,occurrences orconditions,whichwereinnowaycausedorcon tributedtobytheDefendants,therefore,theD efendantsarenotliablehencedefeatingPlain tiff' \1 ATIVEDEFENSEA stheNinthAffirmativeDefense, \1 ATIVEDEFENSEA stheTenthAffirmativeDefense,theDefendant sassertEstoppelandstatethatthePlaintiffi sbarred,inwholeorinpart,fromrecoverytoth eextentthatit ,theDefendantsassertthatthePlaintiffscla imsarefraudulent,inthatPlaintiffdelibera telyfailedtofullyandfaithfullyperformits duties,tothedetrimentoftheDefendants, ,theDefendantsassertillegalityasthePlain tiffsclaimsPage-+of32arebarred,inwholeor inpart,bythedoctrineofillegalityinthatth econtractformingthebasisofPlaintiffscaus esofactionviolatesthelawoftheStateofFlor ida,assetforthintheDefendant' , ,Defendantsdischargedplaintiffsclaim,and eachitemofit, ,theDefendantsassertthatthePlaintiffscla imsmustfailasthePlaintifffailedtocomplyw ithRule1.

3 130(a)oftheFloridaRulesofCivilProcedurew hichstatesinpertinentpart,"Allbonds,note s,billsofexchange,contracts,accounts,ord ocumentsuponwhichactionmaybebroughtordef ensemade,ora copythereofora copyoftheportionsthereofmaterialtotheple adings,shallbeincorporatedinorattachedto thepleading." ,theDefendantassertsthatPlaintiffs damages,ifany,werecaused,inwholeorinpart ,asa resultofPlaintiffsownnegligenceand/oract ions,therefore,thePlaintiffs recovery,if any, ,Defendantsaffirmativelypleadanyofthetol lowingdefensesthatmaybecomeapplicabletot hisaction:accordandsatisfaction,arbitrat ionPage5 of32andaward,assumptionofrisk, ,contributorynegligence,dischargeinbankr uptcy,duress,economicduress,electionofre medies,estoppel,failureofconsideration,i llegality,injurybyfellowservant,laches,l icense,payment,release,resjudicata,satis faction,statuteoffrauds,waiver,thefailur eofplaintifftomitigatedamagesortakereaso nablestepstoavoiddamages,thefailureofpla intifftoexerciseordinarycare, , ,theDefendants,JavierArrietaandCarmenBra vo,filea Counter-claimandsuethePlaintiff/Counter- DefendantQuadrilleHomeownersAssociation, Inc.

4 , ,InjunctiveRelief,Accountingandfordamage sthatexceedFifteenThousand($15, ) (hereinafter" ARRIETA ") isanindividual,overtheageofeighteen(18)a nd,atalltimesrelevanthereto,a residentofPalmBeachCounty, ,ARRlETAownedrealpropertyorresidedinreal propertylocatedwithinthecommunityknownas QuadrilleHomeownersAssociation,Inc.(here inafter"QUADRlLLE"). (hereinafter"BRAVO")is anindividual,overtheageofeighteen(18)and ,atalltimesrelevanthereto,a residentofPalmBeachCounty, ,BRAVO ownedrealpropertyorresidedinrealproperty locatedwithinthecommunityknownasQuadrill eHomeownersAssociation, ,ARRIETAandBRAVO automaticallybecamea MemberoftheQuadrilleHomeownersAssociatio n,Inc.,asmembershipintheAssociationsis FloridaCorporationdoingbusinessinPalmBea chCounty,FloridaandorganizedunderFlorida Statute HomeownersAssociation,QUADRILLEis boundbytheexpressprovisionsofFloridaStat ute ,that:Eachmemberandthemember'stenants,gu ests,andinvitees,andeachassociation,areg overnedby,andmustcomplywith,thischapter, thegoverningdocumentsofthecommunity, ,orboth, ; ; ,guests,orinviteesoccupyinga ,Inc.

5 , ARRIETAandBRAVO bringthisactionagainstQUADRILLE andthedirectorsandofficersofQUADRILLE,pu rsuanttoFloridaStatute ,theprevailingpartyinanysuchlitigationis entitledtorecoverreasonableattorneys' , QUADRILLE ,byandthroughitsBoardandagents engagedina campaigntargeting,certainresidents,speci ficallyARRIETA, , QUADRILLE byandthroughitsBoardanditsagentsunilater allyandarbitrarilychargedresidents,inclu dingARRIETAandBRAVO, ,2006thelawfirmofHilley&Wyant-Cortez, ,sentARRIETAa letterallegingviolationofthedocumentsand demandingimmediateactionandimmediatepaym entofattorneyfees.(Copyofletterattachedh eretoasexhibit"A"). , ,2006,letterrelatedtoa conditionthathadbeeninexistenceforapprox imatelyeight(8) ,thusathetimeoftheletterARRlETAhadreside dinsaidpropertyforseven(7) ,2006, ,2006,letternotonlydeniedARRIETA anyopportunitytorespondtotheallegedviola tionandtorefutetheimpositionoffees,butso ughttoobstructARRIETA fromcontactlegalcounsel,expresslywarning ARRIETA that"shouldyouorarepresentativecontactth isofficetodiscussthismatteratanypointint hefuture,allsuchtimeincurredbythisoffice willbechargedto you"andmaderepeatedthreatsastoimposition ofliensandforeclosure.

6 (Emphasisadded). 'sassertionssetforthintheletter,towit,th at"duetoyourfailuretorespondtoanypriorco mmunicationsfromtheAssociation."priortot heinvolvementoflegalcounsel,ARRlETAattem ptedtoaddresstheissuewithNOAMKOL, , ,a Hispanicmaleandhisfamilyasa"groupofspies "andshouted"gobackwhereyoucamefrom";Page 9 ,"Madredeputa"whichtranslatesto"yourmoth erisa whore"; "maricon"whichtranslatesto"faggot." ,thepresidentofQUADRILLE isknowntocarrya gun1toBoardMeetingandhasfrequentlyactedi nabnabusive,intimidatingandthreateningma nnertowardtheresidents, ,2006,letterdemandedcompliancewithinten( 10)daysandpaymentoftheattorneyfeeswithin ten(10) ,2006letterw~ (4)months,thecrusadeagainstARRIETA,champ ionedbyKOLescalated, ,2007,thelawfirmofHilley&Wynat-Cortez, "finaldemand"letterrelatedtoARRIETA whereinit caseinvolvinganotherresidentandQUADRILLE , ,CaseNo.

7 :502006CC01112 XXXXNBDivRH,Kolbroughta guntoa depositionswhichresultedina "F." ,2007"finaldemand"letterdemandedtheimmed iatepaymentofattorneyfeesandagainthreate nedforeclosureif ,2007letternotonlyfailedtoprovideanoppor tunityforARRIETA tobeheardtorebuttheallegationbutagainwar nedARRIETA,thatif heora ,2007letterwasinresponsetoa documentARRIETA printedthatexpressedhisconcernsrelatedto theBoardandthependingelection.(Copyattac hedheretoexhibit"C"). ,2007letteraccusedARRIETA ofvariousallegationsincluding,interferin gwiththeBoardsabilitytofunctionandallege dthatARRIETA hadpublished"falseanddefamatory" , "publishfalseanddefamatoryinformation; "solicit/approachmembersoftheAssociation withanytypeofwrittenmaterial" "publicationoffalseanddefamatoryinformat ionmaybegroundsfora civillawsuitagainstyou.

8 " secondletterwassentpurportedlyclarifying theMarch5,2007whereintheattorneybackeddo wntromthepositionsetforthintheMarch5,200 7butdidnotabsolveARRIETA frompayingtheattorneyfees.(Copyattachedh eretoexhibit"0"). , , , QUADRILLE activelyandselectivelytargetedARRIETA andhisfamily,selectivelyenforceditsinter pretationthedocumentastoparkingofvehicle ,causedARRIETA'sfamily' ,BanyanPropertyManagement,whenARRIETA contactedBanyanPropertyManagementhewould bereferredbacktotheQUADRILLE's"on-siteof fice." 'sfamiliesvehiclesbasedupontheclaimthatt hevehiclewasnotauthorizedandthattherewas nota parkingstickeronthevehicle,asresult, ,hereinARRIETA,withoutanyadjudicationast oanyactualviolationviaa (2)providesinpertinentpart:"Ifthegoverni ngdocumentssoprovide,anassociationmaysus pend,fora reasonableperiodoftime,therightsofa memberora member'stenants,guests,orinvitees,orboth ,tousecommonareasandfacilitiesandmaylevy reasonablefines,nottoexceed$100perviolat ion,againstanymemberoranytenant,guest, ,witha singlenoticeandopportunityforhearing,exc eptthatnosuchfineshallexceed$1, lienagainsta fine,theprevailingpartyis entitledtocollectitsreasonableattorney's feesandcostsfromthenonprevailingpartyasd eterminedbythecourt.

9 (a)Afineorsuspensionmaynotbeimposedwitho utnoticeofatleast14daystothepersonsought tobetinedorsuspendedandanopportunityfora hearingbeforea committeeofatleastthreemembersappointedb ytheboardwhoarenotofficers,directors,ore mployeesoftheassociation,orthespouse,par ent,child,brother,orsisterofanofficer,di rector, thecommittee,bymajorityvote,doesnotappro vea proposedfineorsuspension,itmaynotbeimpos ed." (1)providesthattheprevailingpartyinanysu chlitigationisentitledtorecoverreasonabl eattorney' tofilea ,2007, QUADRILLE tileda ClaimofLienwhereinit is allegedthatARRIETA wasinarrearsforassessments.(Copyattached heretoasexhibit"E'). ,saidfeespurportedlyincurredforallegedvi olations,contrarytotherepresentationsofP age13of32 QUADRILLE 'scounsel,saidfeesequatetotinea ndthusQUADRILLEis ,excused, ,undersections ,FloridaStatutestodeterminea bonafidepresentneedfora declarationbythisCourt, bonafidepresentneedfora bonafidepresentneedfora declarationbythisCourtastotherightofQUAD RILLE toapplya resident' bonatidepresentneedfora declarationbythisCourtastotherightofQUAD RILLE totilea bonafidepresentneedfora declarationbythisCourtastotherightofQUAD RILLE toforeclosureona realpropertybasedupontheclaimforoutstand ingattorneyfeesthatwerenotincurredasa (l)

10 ExpresslyprovidesfeesforaorevailingDarty however,thestatutecontainsnolanguagethat wouldexpandQUADRILLE' ,thereisa bonatidepresentneedfora declarationbythisCourtastowhethertheprov isionsofthedocumentsasrelieduponbyQUADRI LLE authorizetoactbeyondtheauthoritygrantedb yFloridaStatute (2). (2)expresslyprovidesa specificallyproceduresforimposingfines, bonafidepresentneedfora fineandpursuanttotheclearandplainlanguag eofFloridaStatute720,305(2)andQUADRILLE isprohibitedfromfilinga claimoflienbasedupona bonafidepresentneedfora , ; findingastoprevailingparty; ; residentsmonthlyassessmentstopayforattor neyfeesnotassociatedwithcollectionswhich werearbitrarilyimposedbyQUADRILLE; claimoflienfornon-paymentofarbitrarilyim posedlegalfeesthatwerenotassociatedwithc ollectionornonpaymentofassessments; resultofcollectionornonpaymentofassessme nts; ; ; fineandthusQUADRILLEis precludedfromfilinga claimoflienandformforeclosingforsaidfine ; through47 clearattempttocircumventtheapplicableSta teLaw,specificallyFloridaStatute (1).