Tenant Awarded $500,000 for Illegal Lockout

Facts: Tenant moved into second-floor apartment with his two daughters, ages 11 and 16. Landlord lived on the ground floor. Tenant claimed that landlord posted a number of notices to him and threatened to contact the city children's services agency because she claimed that tenant was abusing his daughters. In May 2006, landlord changed the front door lock. Tenant and his family couldn't get into the building over the Memorial Day weekend. Landlord then agreed to let tenant in to remove his family's belongings. But when tenant and his daughters arrived, their belongings were outside the building. The girls were very embarrassed because their underwear was in plain view of passersby. Tenant called the police, and landlord was arrested. Tenant moved back in. A few days later, landlord telephoned the Administration of Child Services and filed a complaint that tenant was neglecting his children. Later the agency found that this claim was false. In September 2006, tenant moved out. Tenant then sued landlord for unlawful eviction and defamation.

Court: Tenant wins. After a jury trial, the court awarded tenant and his children $500,000 in damages. This sum included $45,000 in punitive damages.

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