Christina Lyons v. Gene B. Glick Company, Inc. as Managing Agent for Woodbridge of Bloomington (mem. dec.)

CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 19, 2018
Docket18A-SC-486
StatusPublished

This text of Christina Lyons v. Gene B. Glick Company, Inc. as Managing Agent for Woodbridge of Bloomington (mem. dec.) (Christina Lyons v. Gene B. Glick Company, Inc. as Managing Agent for Woodbridge of Bloomington (mem. dec.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Christina Lyons v. Gene B. Glick Company, Inc. as Managing Agent for Woodbridge of Bloomington (mem. dec.), (Ind. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION FILED Dec 19 2018, 7:30 am Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), CLERK this Memorandum Decision shall not be Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals regarded as precedent or cited before any and Tax Court

court except for the purpose of establishing the defense of res judicata, collateral estoppel, or the law of the case.

APPELLANT PRO SE ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Christina Lyons J.F. Beatty Bloomington, Indiana Kathryn Merritt-Thrasher Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Christina Lyons, December 19, 2018 Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No. 18A-SC-486 v. Appeal from the Monroe Circuit Court Gene B. Glick Company, Inc. as The Honorable Valeri Haughton, Managing Agent for Judge Woodbridge of Bloomington, Trial Court Cause No. Appellee-Plaintiff. 53C08-1711-SC-2388

Tavitas, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-SC-486 | December 19, 2018 Page 1 of 18 Case Summary [1] Christina Lyons, pro se, appeals the small claims court’s order evicting her from

property managed by Gene B. Glick Company, Inc., as managing agent for

Woodbridge of Bloomington (“Glick”). We affirm.

Issues [2] Although Lyons raises numerous issues, we address only the following:

I. Whether the small claims court had jurisdiction to consider Glick’s eviction claim.

II. Whether the small claims court erred by denying a motion to continue filed by Lyons’ counsel regarding the January 24th hearing.

III. Whether the small claims court properly granted Glick’s eviction request.

IV. Whether the small claims court committed judicial misconduct.

Facts [3] Lyons and Glick entered into a Model Lease for Subsidized Programs

(“Lease”) for Lyons to rent an apartment in the Woodbridge of Bloomington

apartment complex beginning on July 25, 2015. The Lease provided that Glick

could terminate the Lease for “the Tenant’s material noncompliance with the

terms of this Agreement.” Appellee’s App. Vol. II p. 9. The term “material

noncompliance” included “repeated minor violations of the lease that (a)

disrupt the livability of the project; (b) adversely affect the health or safety of

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-SC-486 | December 19, 2018 Page 2 of 18 any person or the right of any tenant to the quiet enjoyment to the leased

premises and related project facilities; (c) interfere with the management of the

project; or (d) have an adverse financial effect on the project . . . .” Id. at 10.

The Resident Information Handbook provided: “The owner/agent and/or

property staff reserves the right to refuse to conduct business with anyone who

is verbally abusive, swears, is disrespectful, makes threats, uses discriminatory

language, appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or drugs or

is argumentative.” Id. at 21. The Handbook also provided that “[a]ny three

lease violations within a twelve (12) month period could be cause for

termination of tenancy.” Id. at 22.

[4] Between January and May 2017, Lyons made multiple calls to law enforcement

accusing her downstairs neighbor of noise violations. All of the complaints

were unsubstantiated. In August 2017, a new tenant moved into the downstairs

apartment. Lyons then made multiple unfounded complaints to law

enforcement regarding the new neighbors.

[5] On October 18, 2017, a pregnant staff member complained that Lyons

repeatedly told the staff member that she was “huge,” “very large,” and “giant”

and that Lyons mentioned the staff member’s “significant weight gain” due to

her first pregnancy. Id. at 47. The staff member complained that she did not

feel comfortable working in the office “with the knowledge that [Lyons’]

behavior is continually allowed.” Id. Glick sent Lyons a violation notice

noting that she had been argumentative with staff members and cursed at them.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-SC-486 | December 19, 2018 Page 3 of 18 [6] On October 20, 2017, a resident complained that Lyons had been yelling for

hours. A staff member stood in the “common hallway” and could hear Lyons

“yelling continuously about ‘sluts and whores.’” Id. at 48. Lyons’ yelling was

“so loud [the staff member] was able to hear it from the sidewalk.” Id. The

staff member asked law enforcement to do a welfare check on Lyons. Lyons,

however, was hostile to the officers and refused medical treatment. On October

23, 2017, Glick notified Lyons that she had violated the Lease provisions for

the third time within twelve months and that her Lease was being terminated

effective November 22, 2017. Lyons, however, did not vacate the apartment.

[7] On November 28, 2017, Glick’s contractors were attempting to install new

windows. The contractor complained that Lyons was banging her cane on the

floor in a “very violent way” and was “screaming obscenities and threatening

police action.” Tr. Vol. II p. 16. The contractor was afraid that Lyons would

use her cane as a weapon. On the same day, Lyons called the police again

regarding her downstairs neighbor.

[8] On January 10, 2018, Lyons prevented a maintenance technician from

performing work at a neighbor’s apartment even though he had permission to

do so. On January 19, 2018, Lyons’ downstairs neighbor complained that

Lyons was taking photos and videos of her family and banging items on the

neighbor’s ceiling, which is Lyons’ floor.

[9] Glick filed a small claims court action for eviction of Lyons from the

apartment. Glick alleged: “Material non-compliance; Defendant is in violation

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-SC-486 | December 19, 2018 Page 4 of 18 of paragraph 23(c)(1) of her lease which states she shall not disrupt the livability

of the project; adversely affect other tenants’ right to quiet enjoyment of the

leased premises; or interfere with the management of the project.” Appellant’s

App. Vol. II p. 7. The small claims court scheduled a hearing for January 12,

2018, at 9:00 a.m.

[10] Lyons filed a pro se motion for continuance on January 6, 2018. The small

claims court denied Lyons’ motion and stated in its order: “Defendant may

contact the attorney for the Plaintiff as to whether there is an objection to said

request.” Id. at 10. On January 11, 2018, Lyons’ counsel filed a notice of

contested hearing and motion to continue. The motion stated that “this matter

will require a Contested Hearing” and requested a continuance “for another

date when all the issues may be presented to the Court.” Id. at 11. Her counsel

estimated “that this matter will take no more than two hours of the Court’s

time.” Id. The trial court granted the motion and reset the matter for January

24, 2018, at 3:00 p.m. On January 24, 2018, less than one hour before the

hearing, Lyons’ counsel filed a motion to continue the hearing, which the small

claims court denied.

[11] At the hearing, Glick’s representative testified that Lyons’ behavior had

significantly disturbed the peace of the other tenants, affected the livability of

the project, and interfered with the management of the project. Lyons also

testified regarding the events. At the end of the hearing, the small claims court

noted that it would be granting the eviction request. The small claims court,

however, expressed concern regarding Lyons’ mental health, ordered a “72

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