Justin Baker v. The Emerald Condos et al.

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedDecember 23, 2025
Docket2:25-cv-01989
StatusUnknown

This text of Justin Baker v. The Emerald Condos et al. (Justin Baker v. The Emerald Condos et al.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Justin Baker v. The Emerald Condos et al., (W.D. Wash. 2025).

Opinion

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 8 AT SEATTLE

9 10 JUSTIN BAKER, CASE NO. C25-1989JLR 11 Plaintiff, ORDER v. 12 THE EMERALD CONDOS et al., 13 Defendants. 14

15 I. INTRODUCTION 16 Before the court are four motions filed by pro se Plaintiff Justin Baker: (1) a 17 motion for a preliminary injunction (MPI (Dkt. # 9)); (2) two motions for United States 18 (“U.S.”) Marshal service of the summons and complaint (MMS1 (Dkt. # 10); MMS2 19 (Dkt. # 17)); and (3) a motion to appoint counsel (MAC (Dkt. # 11)). Defendants Joe 20 Majewski, CWD Group, and Zach Page (collectively, “Defendants”) have not appeared 21 in this action. (See generally Dkt.) Being fully advised, the court DENIES as moot Mr. 22 1 Baker’s motions for U.S. Marshal service and motion for a preliminary injunction and 2 DENIES Mr. Baker’s motion to appoint counsel.

3 II. BACKGROUND 4 This case arises from a housing dispute between Mr. Baker and Defendants. (See 5 generally Second Amended Complaint (“SAC”) (Dkt. # 15).) Mr. Baker is a disabled 6 person who, since May 2025, has resided at the Emerald condominiums (the 7 “Emerald”)— formerly a defendant in this case. (SAC at 3; see Compl. (Dkt. # 5) at 2.) 8 Mr. Majewski and Mr. Page are employed by CWD Group and manage the Emerald’s

9 homeowner’s association (the “HOA”). (SAC at 3.) Mr. Baker alleges that the Emerald 10 and CWD Group are retaliating against him because (1) he filed a complaint with the 11 City of Seattle asserting that the Emerald overcharged him fees; and (2) he filed a 12 complaint with the City of Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (“SDCI”) 13 about the habitability of the Emerald. (Id. at 3-4 (describing the nature of the complaints

14 Mr. Baker made to SDCI).) Mr. Baker also alleges that he and Defendants entered into 15 several disputes pertaining to Mr. Baker’s purported noncompliance with building 16 policies. (See id. (describing disputes pertaining to Mr. Baker’s alleged noncompliance 17 with recycling and trash disposal policies).) Mr. Baker contends that the Emerald’s staff 18 have responded to his filing of reports with the City by “stalking and harassing” him and

19 by surveilling him by “taking photos and videos[.]” (Id.) 20 Mr. Majewski and Mr. Page enforce HOA policies for the Emerald. (Id. at 5.) 21 Mr. Baker alleges that he informed Mr. Majewski and Mr. Page of his disabilities as well 22 as his inability to comply with some HOA policies pertaining to physical tasks, and 1 requested accommodations. (Id.) He asserts that the HOA created “bylaws that 2 discriminate against [him]” and acts to enforce such laws. (Id.) For example, Mr. Baker

3 alleges that he requested and was denied a parking spot at the Emerald for his physical 4 therapist who periodically visits the Emerald for appointments. (Id.) 5 Mr. Baker filed his original complaint on October 15, 2025. (See Compl. (Dkt. 6 # 5).) He filed the operative second amended complaint on December 2, 20251. (See 7 SAC; see also 11/19/25 Min. Order (granting Mr. Baker leave to amend).) Mr. Baker 8 raises claims against Defendants for (1) defamation, 28 U.S.C. § 4101; (2) violations of

9 Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) regulations; (3) violations of the FHA, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3604, 10 3617; (4) violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. 11 §§ 12203, 12181, 12182; and (5) disclosure of personal information, 15 U.S.C. § 6802. 12 (See generally SAC.) Mr. Baker seeks (1) $80 million U.S. dollars or the maximum 13 allowable damages for punitive, treble, and compensatory damages, (2) injunctive relief,

14 and (3) an order that Defendants be monitored for at least 24 months to prevent further 15 unlawful acts and to ensure a non-hostile environment at his home. (See SAC at 25.) 16 On November 10, 2025, Mr. Baker moved for a preliminary injunction, in which 17 he seeks assistance with a transfer from his current condo unit that he resides in to a 18 different condo unit within the same building. (See generally MPI.) He asserts that

19 20 1 Mr. Baker’s second amended complaint is 26 single-spaced pages and is not “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that [Mr. Baker] is entitled to relief[.]” Fed. R. Civ. 21 P. 8(a)(2); (see generally SAC). The court declines to “piece together the basis of [his] claim[s].” Baker v. Avenue5 Residential, No. C24-01862JHC, 2025 WL 1207666, at *3 (W.D. 22 Wash. Apr. 25, 2025) (citation omitted). 1 former defendant Sea to Sky Management and the current Defendants may have been 2 unlawfully withholding the new condo unit in retaliation for reporting alleged housing

3 violations. (See MPI at 2.) 4 III. ANALYSIS 5 Mr. Baker is a pro se litigant proceeding in this litigation in forma pauperis 6 (“IFP”). (See 10/15/25 Order (Dkt. # 4) (granting Mr. Baker IFP status).) A court must 7 dismiss at any time an IFP complaint that is (1) frivolous or malicious; (2) fails to state a 8 claim upon which relief may be granted; or (3) seeks monetary relief against a defendant

9 who is immune from such relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). Additionally, because 10 Mr. Baker is proceeding pro se, the court must construe his pleadings liberally. See 11 McGuckin v. Smith, 974 F.2d 1050, 1055 (9th Cir. 1992). Nevertheless, a pro se litigant 12 must follow the same rules of procedure that govern other litigants. See, e.g., Briones v. 13 Riviera Hotel & Casino, 116 F.3d 379, 381 (9th Cir. 1997). The court first reviews Mr.

14 Baker’s claims pursuant to § 1915(e)(2) and then, for any surviving claims, reviews the 15 substance of his motions. 16 A. Mr. Baker’s claim for defamation is dismissed. 17 Mr. Baker alleges a claim for defamation under 28 U.S.C. § 4101. (See SAC at 6.) 18 The Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage Act

19 (the “SPEECH” Act) is a 2010 federal law enacted to protect American authors, 20 journalists, and publishers from libel tourism. See 28 U.S.C. § 4101. The statute 21 generally makes foreign defamation judgments unenforceable in U.S. courts unless they 22 comply with U.S. free speech and due process protections. Id. The SPEECH Act does 1 not confer a private right of action. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 4101, 4102; see also Baker, 2025 2 WL 1207666 at *2 (dismissing with prejudice Mr. Baker’s claim for defamation under 28

3 U.S.C. § 4101 for failure to state a claim). Thus, the court dismisses Mr. Baker’s claim 4 for a violation of 28 U.S.C. § 4101 with prejudice. 5 B. Mr. Baker’s claim for disclosure of personal information is dismissed. 6 Mr. Baker alleges a violation of 15 U.S.C. § 6802

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Justin Baker v. The Emerald Condos et al., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/justin-baker-v-the-emerald-condos-et-al-wawd-2025.