Thousands of Palisades fire victims who lost their homes and businesses will be allowed to proceed with lawsuits against the City of Los Angeles, the State of California, and other agencies, alleging the government allowed hazardous conditions to exist, which led to the enormous destruction of the January, 2025 wildfire.
LA Superior Court Judge Samantha Jessner’s decision to deny requests for dismissals, brought by the City and the State, was finalized Thursday, clearing the way for fire victims to begin more intensive investigation of their claims that the agencies failed to adequately protect the community and prevent the spread of a wind-driven fire, days after a smaller brush fire threatened some of the same neighborhoods.
“Today’s ruling by the judge marks a huge victory for the victims of the Palisades Fire,” said attorney Alexander Robertson, one of the lead attorneys representing fire victims.
“The Court overruled the claims of immunity by the City and State which allows our case to move forward into the discovery phase,” he said. “The lies, gaslighting, and coverup by both the City and State will be further exposed through the discovery process.”
The fire victims’ lawsuits, coordinated as the “Grigsby” cases, named for one of the original plaintiffs, allege that local and state governments were negligent and should be held financially responsible for the damage caused by the Palisades fire.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has declined to comment or discuss previous developments in the case, but has denied the allegations in court. The office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the judge’s decision allowing the lawsuits to proceed.
A spokesperson for the California State Parks Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Thursday’s decision, but said previously some of the allegations in the suits were, “ludicrous,” and has filed court documents specifically denying the victims’ claims.