Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al.

Summary

A California state court jury heard opening statements last week in a lawsuit filed by the residents of a Los Angeles-area artist colony claiming the soil beneath their homes is contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals, and the full trial is being webcast gavel-to-gavel by Courtroom View Network.

Plaintiffs living in the Santa Fe Art Colony, an artist community founded in the early 1980s, allege property owners and environmental consultants should be found liable for injuries they claim to have suffered from exposure to toxic chemicals known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs.

The current property owners argue that they informed the residents in 2018 when purchasing the property that perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) vapors were present in the soil, but that the statute of limitations for any related claims had expired when the plaintiffs filed their lawsuit in 2022. However the plaintiffs maintain they only filed the lawsuit after uncovering evidence a previous property owner was also aware of the chemical risk but allegedly withheld that information from tenants.

Outcome

Defense verdict

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Arnoff, Julie
Defense: Fifteen Group Capital LLC
Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health
FPI Management, Inc.
Santa Fe Art Colony General Partnership

Judge: David Cunningham
Jurisdiction: Superior Court of California, Los Angeles
Court: Spring Street Courthouse

Case Number: 22STCV19686
Industry: Environmental
Practice Area: Tort Law

Plaintiff

Arnoff, Julie

Represented By:
Madeksho, Christopher (Madeksho Law)

Defense

Fifteen Group Capital LLC

Represented By:
Weiner, Matthew (Pierson Ferdinand, LLP)
Mesa, David (Pierson Ferdinand, LLP)

Defense

Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health

Represented By:
Buchner, Teanna (Goldberg Segalla)

Defense

FPI Management, Inc.

Represented By:
Stewart, Brian (Collins + Collins LLP)

Defense

Santa Fe Art Colony General Partnership

Represented By:
Vandenburg, Thomas (Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP)

Live Sessions

On Demand

Sessions are uploaded each evening and are available on demand the next morning

	Description	Start Time
2h 18m 35s	Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al. 03/19/2025 PM (VERDICT 2)	02:36 PM PDT
2h 33m 30s	Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al. 03/19/2025 PM (JURY INSTRUCTION)	09:40 AM PDT
16m 45s	Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al. 03/19/2025 PM (JURY QUESTION #2) Part 2	09:16 AM PDT
4m 16s	Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al. 03/19/2025 PM (JURY QUESTION #2)	09:09 AM PDT

MAR

	Description	Start Time
1h 34m 16s	Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al. 03/18/2025 PM (VERDICT)	03:04 PM PDT
14m 25s	Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al. 03/18/2025 PM (JURY QUESTION)	01:35 PM PDT
2h 11m 29s	Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al. 03/18/2025 AM	10:12 AM PDT

MAR

SESSIONS WITH George Herbert

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

AM Session

Openings

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:33	Opening Statement	Weiner, Matthew
00:15:53	Opening Statement	Buchner, Teanna
00:25:16	Opening Statement	Stewart, Brian
00:27:33	Opening Statement	Vandenburg, Thomas
00:46:42	Break
01:01:22	Opening Statement	Madeksho, Christopher
01:33:29	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:13:38	Witness Direct Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Sanders, Mark	In Person
01:06:05	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Sanders, Mark	In Person
01:26:52	Break
01:41:32	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Sanders, Mark	In Person
01:51:02	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Sanders, Mark	In Person
01:57:00	General Case Activities
01:59:02	Witness Direct Examination	Buchner, Teanna	Wnek, Dr. Shawn	In Person
02:48:36	General Case Activities
02:58:47	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:12:20	Witness Direct Examination	Buchner, Teanna	Wnek, Dr. Shawn	In Person
00:27:04	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Wnek, Dr. Shawn	In Person
00:53:54	Break
01:11:02	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Buchner, Teanna	Wnek, Dr. Shawn	In Person
01:11:37	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Wnek, Dr. Shawn	In Person
01:17:04	Witness Direct Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Goswami, Emily	In Person
01:52:17	General Case Activities
01:56:54	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:08:42	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Choi, Duke	In Person
00:28:27	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Choi, Duke	In Person
00:58:58	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Choi, Duke	In Person
01:02:21	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Choi, Duke	In Person
01:07:04	Break
01:23:26	Witness Direct Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Goswami, Emily	In Person
01:59:57	Witness Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Goswami, Emily	In Person
02:16:52	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Goswami, Emily	In Person
02:19:28	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Goswami, Emily	In Person
02:25:06	General Case Activities
02:30:22	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:44	Break
00:09:43	Witness Direct Examination	Stewart, Brian	Williams, Danielle	Video Conference
00:21:23	Break
00:45:20	Witness Direct Examination	Stewart, Brian	Williams, Danielle	Video Conference
01:05:37	Break
01:13:13	Witness Direct Examination	Stewart, Brian	Williams, Danielle	In Person
01:48:09	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Williams, Danielle	Video Conference
01:48:09	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Stewart, Brian	Williams, Danielle	Video Conference
01:50:44	General Case Activities
01:52:10	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

16 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:05:15	Witness Direct Examination	Stewart, Brian	Casas, Rosie	In Person
00:22:29	Witness Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Casas, Rosie	In Person
00:36:10	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Stewart, Brian	Casas, Rosie	In Person
00:39:16	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Skuro, Leonard	In Person
01:10:59	Witness Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Skuro, Leonard	In Person
01:22:17	General Case Activities
01:31:22	Break
01:47:34	General Case Activities
01:50:27	Witness Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Skuro, Leonard	In Person
02:01:45	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Skuro, Leonard	In Person
02:05:00	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Skuro, Leonard	In Person
02:06:05	General Case Activities
02:09:30	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Griswold, Robert	In Person
02:48:06	General Case Activities
02:53:50	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:13:36	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
01:00:12	Break
01:18:48	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
01:36:32	Break
01:46:38	General Case Activities	Madeksho, Christopher	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
01:54:51	General Case Activities
02:07:01	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

13 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
00:10:15	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
00:49:42	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
00:54:24	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
00:59:17	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Kelman, Dr. Bruce	In Person
01:01:01	Break
01:21:59	General Case Activities
01:23:30	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Griswold, Robert	Video Conference
01:43:11	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Griswold, Robert	Video Conference
01:56:05	Witness Direct Examination	Mesa, David	Navar, Rogelio	In Person
02:19:03	Witness Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Navar, Rogelio	In Person
02:48:21	General Case Activities
03:10:04	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

14 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:15	Break
00:10:56	Witness Cross Examination	Burnett, Mara	Navar, Rogelio	In Person
00:19:25	Witness Direct Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Adels-LaDuke, Simone	In Person
00:37:03	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Adels-LaDuke, Simone	In Person
00:49:47	Witness Direct Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Dommermouth , Michael	In Person
00:52:32	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Dommermouth , Michael	In Person
00:59:26	General Case Activities
01:04:26	Break
01:21:45	Witness Direct Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Tucker, Kristine	In Person
01:26:48	Witness Cross Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Tucker, Kristine	In Person
01:46:16	General Case Activities
01:48:31	Witness Direct Examination		Romay, Mark	Transcript Reading
01:59:10	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:26:31	Witness Direct Examination		Romay, Mark	Transcript Reading
00:54:29	Witness Direct Examination		Tidwell, Sylvia	Transcript Reading
01:18:10	General Case Activities
01:35:22	Break
01:49:02	General Case Activities	Madeksho, Christopher	Siddiqui, Adnan	In Person
02:08:07	General Case Activities	Mesa, David	Siddiqui, Adnan	In Person
02:46:05	General Case Activities
02:49:32	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

10 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:22:40	Witness Direct Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Kellar, Don	In Person
00:55:31	Witness Cross Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Kellar, Don	In Person
01:02:12	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Kellar, Don	In Person
01:03:43	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Kellar, Don	In Person
01:04:32	Break
01:24:34	General Case Activities
01:35:15	Witness Direct Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Herbert, George	In Person
01:48:32	Witness Cross Examination	Buchner, Teanna	Herbert, George	In Person
01:59:39	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

11 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:09	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Herbert, George	In Person
00:11:14	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Buchner, Teanna	Herbert, George	In Person
00:14:11	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Herbert, George	In Person
00:15:59	Witness Direct Examination	Madeksho, Christopher	Paley, Laura	In Person
00:29:57	Witness Cross Examination	Vandenburg, Thomas	Paley, Laura	In Person
00:34:24	Witness Direct Examination		Romay, Mark	Transcript Reading
00:43:43	General Case Activities
01:01:02	Break
02:04:19	General Case Activities
03:26:44	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

13 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:19:38	General Case Activities		Donell, Steve	In Person
00:46:49	Witness Direct Examination	Mandell, Robert	Donell, Steve	In Person
01:02:02	Break
01:14:13	Witness Direct Examination	Mandell, Robert	Donell, Steve	In Person
01:17:28	Witness Cross Examination	Weiner, Matthew	Donell, Steve	In Person
01:19:11	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Mandell, Robert	Donell, Steve	In Person
01:24:39	Witness Direct Examination		Sandes, Mark	Video Recording
01:27:20	General Case Activities
01:30:19	Break
01:37:52	General Case Activities	Vandenburg, Thomas
01:56:10	General Case Activities
01:59:12	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:25	General Case Activities	Vandenburg, Thomas
00:30:31	Break
00:41:26	General Case Activities
00:42:15	General Case Activities	Vandenburg, Thomas
00:51:25	General Case Activities
00:54:25	Break
01:56:35	General Case Activities
03:13:53	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Other

8 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:57:10	Break
		01:21:52	General Case Activities
		02:10:22	Break
		02:20:16	General Case Activities
		02:35:48	Break
		02:53:13	General Case Activities
		03:43:07	End of Session

PM Session

Closings

13 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:21	Closing Statement	Vandenburg, Thomas
00:19:00	Closing Statement	Ning, David
00:22:27	Closing Statement	Buchner, Teanna
00:36:44	Closing Statement	Weiner, Matthew
00:54:20	Break
01:21:18	General Case Activities
01:30:07	Closing Statement	Madeksho, Christopher
02:09:48	Closing Statement	Tutuyan, Aslin
02:17:59	Closing Statement	Vandenburg, Thomas
02:20:00	Closing Statement	Weiner, Matthew
02:22:25	General Case Activities
02:40:28	End of Session

MAR

Estate of Julie Arnoff v. Art Colony Property LLC, et al.

Summary

Outcome

Live Sessions

On Demand

SESSIONS WITH George Herbert

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