Legislation Corporations
Crowell might pursue lawsuit for COVID-19 lease break, DC choose says
“This was not a simple case,” mentioned Washington, D.C., Superior Court docket Decide Donald Walker Tunnage. “If it have been, we wouldn’t be right here.” Picture from Shutterstock.
Crowell & Moring might pursue its lawsuit in search of a $30 million lease refund due to authorities orders that interfered with its use of its property in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Washington, D.C., choose has dominated.
Superior Court docket Decide Donald Walker Tunnage mentioned throughout a listening to Wednesday a factual dispute exists that may be resolved at a later stage of the litigation, Reuters reviews.
“This was not a simple case,” Tunnage mentioned. “If it have been, we wouldn’t be right here.”
Crowell’s March lawsuit alleges that authorities pandemic orders quantity to the kind of “pressure majeure occasion” entitling the regulation agency to a lease abatement underneath its lease. In the course of the listening to, variations emerged over the interpretation of lease phrases, reminiscent of “entry” to the constructing and “important” companies, in line with Reuters.
The agency is in search of a lease break for its Washington, D.C., workplace on Pennsylvania Avenue. It desires a refund of 98% of the quantity it paid for a little bit greater than a 12 months, plus curiosity.
The defendant within the go well with is the property proprietor, the TREA 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue Belief.