Yuba City officials want George Louie to go away and will pay him $15,000 to stop filing lawsuits in their town alleging violations of the federal Americans With Disablities Act (ADA).

Describing the deal as the first of its kind, the officials said a settlement was reached with Louie, who has filed hundreds of such actions against Northern California cities and businesses, according to the Sacramento Bee. A lawyer who has handled many of the suits for the defendants said that most are settled out of court to avoid the cost of litigation. The going price of settlement is said to be around $4,000.

The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications and governmental activities.

Not all of Louie’s lawsuits are driven by the violations themselves. As Louie explained to the Marysville Appeal-Democrat in May 2011, a series of perceived racial slurs against his family motivated a string of lawsuits against Yuba City. “I hold grudges. I go after people who do things to me. I'm coming after everybody.”

And that he did, filing dozens of lawsuits against local businesses. The settlement prohibits Louie from filing any more suits against Yuba City or its businesses.

The city signed the agreement earlier in the month, although Louie has been on the state’s Vexatious Litigant List since June 2011. The list is compiled by the state’s Judicial Council and contains names of businesses or people who, in the opinion of a judge, repeatedly file suits deemed to be without merit. Those on the list are barred from filing lawsuits without permission from the presiding judge, but it only applies to state courts.

There have been 113 entries made to the list this year, although some people are on it more than once. Bowan Fu was enshrined on the list 15 times on September 21 and is associated with three other Fu entries. Each entry has a different case number in San Francisco Superior Court.

Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation last month aimed at reducing the number of ADA lawsuits. Senate Bill 1186 limits the amount of money that can be awarded in state cases, limits the stacking of complaints pertaining to the same infraction and prohibits lawyers from writing pre-suit letters demanding specific sums of money to settle early. The Assembly unanimously approved the bill and the Senate vote was 34-3.

–Ken Broder

To Learn More:

Yuba City Pays Man Not to File Any Disability Suits (by Richard Chang, Sacramento Bee)

Northern California City to Pay Man $15,000 to Stop Suing (Associated Press)

Yuba-Sutter Chamber Calls Louie “Illogical”—He Fires Back (by Ryan McCarthy, Marysville Appeal-Democrat)

Vexatious Litigant List (California  Judicial Council)