Once upon a frosty Idaho winter, attorney Jeremy Morris decided to turn his home into the North Pole. His home came complete with hundreds of thousands of lights, a live nativity, carolers, and yes… a Christmas camel. The neighbors? Not so jolly. His HOA (the “HOA Grinch”) claimed the display broke community rules and would turn their quiet cul-de-sac into Times Square.
Morris fired back with holiday cheer and a lawsuit, arguing the HOA Grinch was acting like Scrooge and discriminating against his religious celebration under the US Fair Housing Act. A jury initially stuffed his stocking with $75,000 in damages, but the judge sided with the HOA Grinch, overturning the verdict and handing Morris a lump of coal in the form of $111,000 in HOA legal fees.
The saga didn’t end there. Morris appealed, and the Ninth Circuit said, “Well, maybe the HOA Grinch was a little naughty,” sending parts of the case back for more review. Now, Morris is eyeing the Supreme Court, because nothing says holiday spirit like a camel, a choir, and a federal lawsuit.
This is an actual case that arose in Idaho. The original lawsuit was filed in 2017, the appeal was decided in 2020, and it seems that Mr. Morris will seek Supreme Court review on this case.
From our family to yours, Happy Holidays!!!