By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado
The timing between the filing of a class action lawsuit against a Denver rental property owner and a new law allowing for greater leeway over who can file such lawsuits is being scrutinized.
At the center of the controversy is whether one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, State Rep. Steven Woodrow, used his power and position as a state legislator to ensure himself, along with other trial lawyers, big payouts for successful suits that otherwise would likely not advance. A Denver judge said as much in his ruling to allow the class action to move forward.
Because “the claims are small, tenants likely wouldn’t have the motivation to take on the expense of individual lawsuits, so class action is the best path forward,” said Denver District Court Judge Martin Egelhoff in his ruling from Feb. 22.