News Summary
A Los Angeles County judge has ruled that the DuPont Clinic must pay Beverly Hills $69,250 in attorney’s fees after the city successfully argued that the clinic’s lawsuit aimed to suppress free speech. This amount is far less than the clinic’s initial claim. The ongoing legal dispute, which began in 2023, concerns the clinic’s establishment and has faced significant opposition from anti-abortion groups. The ruling will reimburse some of the city’s legal expenses while the conflict continues with further litigation from the DuPont Clinic.
Beverly Hills – A Los Angeles County judge has ordered the DuPont Clinic to pay the city of Beverly Hills $69,250 in attorney’s fees following a ruling related to an anti-SLAPP motion. This decision comes after the city successfully argued that the clinic’s lawsuit was intended to suppress its right to free speech. The sum awarded to the city is significantly less than the initial request of $416,942, which the judge considered excessive.
Both parties have expressed satisfaction with the recent ruling. The attorney representing the DuPont Clinic expressed optimism about the case, suggesting that the judgment regarding attorney’s fees aligns with their perspective that rationality and common sense will prevail in the ongoing legal matters. Meanwhile, Beverly Hills’ Deputy City Manager expressed contentment at the city being reimbursed for a portion of its legal expenses, emphasizing the financial strain incurred by such disputes.
The ongoing legal conflict between the DuPont Clinic and Beverly Hills commenced in 2023 as the clinic prepared to open its doors in the city in October. The DuPont Clinic is known for providing reproductive health care services, including abortions up to 32 weeks and six days of pregnancy. However, the clinic has faced significant opposition from the Los Angeles chapter of an anti-abortion group, which has actively campaigned against its establishment in Beverly Hills.
In June 2023, the lease agreement for the DuPont Clinic was unexpectedly canceled by the landlord, Douglas Emmett. This cancellation was attributed to the clinic allegedly failing to disclose its emphasis on providing abortions specifically for high-risk pregnancies. Following this development, DuPont Clinic initiated legal action against the city and several officials in October 2023.
In response to DuPont’s lawsuit, the city filed an anti-SLAPP motion in February 2024, which aimed to dismiss the clinic’s claims on the grounds that they constituted an unlawful attempt to stifle free speech. The court granted the city’s motion in December 2024, ruling in favor of Beverly Hills. The judge overseeing the case, Michael Shultz, critiqued the legal fees submitted by the city’s attorneys as “excessive, inefficient, and duplicative,” noting concerns over high hourly rates and an unreasonable number of hours billed.
Despite this recent development, the DuPont Clinic remains involved in ongoing litigation against Beverly Hills. The clinic is currently appealing the anti-SLAPP ruling and, in May, filed an additional lawsuit alleging that the city played a role in the lease cancellation and obstructed the necessary building permits for their operation.
The legal troubles surrounding the clinic drew further scrutiny when an investigation by California Attorney General Rob Bonta found that various city officials were implicated in illegal interference with the opening of the DuPont Clinic. The findings prompted state oversight regarding the situation and mandated that city employees undergo training focused on protecting abortion rights.
Activists vigilant in the debate over reproductive health services have urged Beverly Hills to consider settling with the DuPont Clinic and dropping its pursuit of legal fees. The ongoing tension reflects a broader societal divide over reproductive rights and access to healthcare services in the state of California.
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HERE Resources
Beverly Hills City Hall Hosts Pro-Choice Protest
Additional Resources
- Beverly Hills Courier: Court Orders DuPont to Pay Attorney’s Fees to City
- Wikipedia: Reproductive Health
- Beverly Press: Judge Finalizes Fees in DuPont Clinic Case
- Google Search: DuPont Clinic Beverly Hills
- Courthouse News: Beverly Hills Settles with California After Blocking Abortion Clinic
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Abortion
- KCRW: DuPont Clinic Beverly Hills
- Google News: Beverly Hills Abortion Clinic
