The City of Los Angeles took legal action this week — to try to make sure the State of California shares any possible civil liability for the damage caused by the Palisades fire.
The so-called “cross complaint” was filed late Thursday by LA City Attorney Heidi Feldstein Soto’s office and it asks for the State, its Natural Resources Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to shoulder part of any potential monetary damages that result from the fire victims’ lawsuits.
The City filed the action days before the judge overseeing the Palisades cases will consider the City and State’s demands, called demurrers, that all of the victims’ lawsuits be dismissed for failing to meet the legal threshold required to hold government agencies liable for the cost of the disaster.
“To the extent that any claims against Cross-Complainants survive the demurrer and result in any judgements or liability or monetary payments by Cross-Complainants, Cross-Complainants bring this Complaint to ensure that any liability or payments are fairly and equitably apportioned among the parties,” the filing said.
The City Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the office typically declines to discuss pending litigation.
In a variety of legal filings in the Palisades litigation the City has denied it is in any way responsible for the fire.
“Cross-Complainants do not admit the truth of any of the allegations in the Master Complaint and expressly deny that they are liable for damages resulting from the Palisades Fire,” the City said.
The cross complaint notes that the City filed a claim for damages with the State last July, an initial step often required before a government agency can be sued. The filing said the state hasn’t responded to the claim.