Case: Hollywood Synagogue v. City of Hollywood & U.S. v. City of Hollywood
0:04-cv-61212 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Filed Date: Sept. 15, 2004
Closed Date: 2012
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Case Summary
On September 15, 2004, a Hollywood synagogue filed a lawsuit under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 ("RLUIPA"), 42 U.S.C. §1983, and the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act ("Florida RFRA"), against the City of Hollywood, FL. in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale division. The plaintiff, represented by private and public interest counsel, sought declaratory, injunctive, punitive, and compensatory relief, claiming that the City unequally and selectively applied zoning ordinances. Specifically, the plaintiff claimed that defendant's treatment of plaintiff's special exception applications and defendant's action to prevent organized religious services from taking place on the plaintiff's property constituted discrimination on the basis of religion.
Plaintiff claimed that defendants treated its applications for special exemptions to local land use regulations differently because of its status as a religious institution. This alleged discrimination included, inter alia, adding unprecedented conditions to the granting of special exemptions, and seeking a permanent injunction in state court against defendants to prevent the use of the synagogue as a place of worship.
On April 26, 2005, the United States filed a complaint against Defendant City of Hollywood, requesting declaratory and injunctive relief based up on the City's alleged violation of RLUIPA.
On June 16, 2005, the Court (Judge Joan A. Lenard) consolidated both of the aforementioned cases, finding that they involved common questions of law and fact.
On May 10, 2006, the Court granted in part and denied in part defendants' motion to dismiss plaintiffs' complaint, dismissing plaintiffs' claims under Florida RFRA, along with some of the federal claims. The Court found that the City's alleged policy of harassment, selective enforcement, and retaliation was sufficient to constitute the moving force behind the plaintiff's injuries. Hollywood Community Synagogue, Inc. v. City of Hollywood, 430 F.Supp.2d 1296.
On June 26, 2006, the Court granted in part plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment, holding that the land ordinance was unconstitutional prior restraint on places of worship and that the City was liable under §1983. Hollywood Community Synagogue, Inc. v. City of Hollywood, 436 F.Supp.2d 1325.
On June 27, 2006, the Court granted in part and denied in part defendants' motions for summary judgment. The Court denied the motion in regards to all of the plaintiffs' claims, except for their Substantive Due Process claims as they relate to equitable estoppel.
On July 6, 2006, additional individuals filed a motion to intervene claiming the future Consent Decree would violate their due process and enjoyment of property rights. The motion was denied on July 7, 2006 because the court found it was untimely and the parties lacked a significant legal interest in the matter. 2006 WL 8431503.
On July 7, 2006, the court approved and entered a consent decree. The consent order barred the City from violating RLUIPA, decreed that future new procedures regarding religious land-use applications must be provided to the Department of Justice, and determined that each application will be reviewed de novo by the Developmental Review Board Hearing. The decree also ordered public and online signage declaring that the city does not discriminate against religious exercise in violation of RLUIPA. The City would also provide training to its employees on the requirements of RLUIPA. To remedy past actions in this case, the City agreed to allow the plaintiff to operate as a house of worship in perpetuity and make additional zoning concessions [PLEASE BE MORE SPECIFIC, SEE 380]. Additionally, the defendants were required to pay the plaintiffs $2,000,000 for all fees and costs. The duration of this order was 5 years after the date of its entry, or 3 years after the City's new special exception procedures take effect, whichever is later. The case was dismissed with prejudice and all pending motions were denied as moot.
On August 4, 2006, the parties' whose motion to intervene was denied appealed to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal.
On January 18, 2008, the Eleventh Circuit found the District Court was correct in finding the appellant's motion for intervention was untimely. As such their appeal was dismissed with prejudice. 254 Fed.Appx. 769.
On May 29, 2009, St. Gregorios Orthodox Church of India, Inc. filed a post judgment emergency motion to intervene. This motion was denied because of they were instructed to open a new claim against the defendants.
The injunction has now run its course and there has been no further litigation. The case is presumed closed.
Summary Authors
Timothy Shoffner (5/31/2012)
Rachel June-Graber (2/15/2016)
Taylor Brook (3/8/2018)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4231667/parties/hollywood-synagogue-v-city-of-hollywood/
Acosta, R. Alexander (District of Columbia)
Abbott, Daniel Lawrence (Florida)
, (Florida)
Ahrens, James Henry (Florida)
Aikens, Arnold T. (Florida)
Acosta, R. Alexander (District of Columbia)
Gonzales, Alberto (District of Columbia)
Hagler, Tamar (District of Columbia)
Jimenez, Marcos Daniel (Florida)
Keveney, Sean R. (District of Columbia)
Lindsey, Marilynn Koonce (Florida)
Maurer, Michael S. (District of Columbia)
Abbott, Daniel Lawrence (Florida)
Garcia, Joseph Ashley (Florida)
Guedes, Edward George (Florida)
Harrison, Douglas Andrew (Florida)
Krevans, Scott Darryl (Florida)
Mandel, Matthew Harris (Florida)
McCausland, Thomas Jeffrey (Florida)
Mustelier, Carlos E Jr (Florida)
Oldershaw, Robert Matthew (Florida)
Amdur, Spencer Elijah (Florida)
Anderson, Shelby Mitchell (Florida)
Attorney, Noticing 2255 (Florida)
Attorney-in-Charge, Attorney-in-Charge (Florida)
Auerbach, Marcella Cohen (Florida)
Barksdale, Antoinette (Florida)
Beaumont, Katherine E. (Florida)
Bennett, Michelle Renee (Florida)
Bennett, John Hunter (Florida)
Boling, Kathryn Naegeli (Florida)
Bonander, Laura Kennedy (Florida)
Brodsky, Reed Michael (Florida)
Brown, Jacqueline Camile (Florida)
Bubar, Daniel (Inactive (Florida)
Buschbacher, Michael B. (Florida)
Calhoun, Daniel Joseph (Florida)
Carmichael, Andrew E. (Florida)
Chapman-DOJ, Beverly Kristyne (Florida)
Christensen, Ellen E. (Florida)
Clarkson, John Thomas (Florida)
Cohen, Rebecca Shapiro (Florida)
Cohen, Bradley Heath (Florida)
Coppolino, Anthony Joseph (Florida)
Cuff, Ross McDougall (Florida)
Cunningham, P Michael (Florida)
Daughtry, Emily Ewell (Florida)
Davis, Michael Scott (Florida)
Devine, Melissa Marion (Florida)
Dickstein, Jeffrey Wynn (Florida)
Diedrichs, Clayton R. (Florida)
Doherty, Heather Noel (Florida)
Dunsmore, Carrie Anna (Florida)
Edelman, Keith Daniel (Florida)
Edelschick, Douglas Glenn (Florida)
Erickson-Pogorzelski, Anthony (Florida)
Evans, George Frederick (Florida)
Fernandez-Gonzalez, Myriam Y. (Florida)
Fitzgerald, Scott Ivan (Florida)
Flickinger, Nancy Ann (Florida)
FOLIO, JOSEPH CHARLES (Florida)
Francis, Victoria L. (Florida)
Gagain, Michael Thomas (Florida)
Gallagher, Erin Healy (Florida)
Gonzalez-Rivera, Maritza (Florida)
GOVT, Gregory Pearson (Florida)
Granston, Michael E. (Florida)
Groom, Deborah Fennell (Florida)
Gryzlov, Mykhaylo Alexander (Florida)
Haas, Alexander Kenneth (Florida)
Handler, Stephen Elliot (Florida)
Harrell-James, Veronica Vanessa (Florida)
Harrington, Quinn Patrick (Florida)
Hasday-DOJ, Lisa Robin (Florida)
Hayes, Rosemary Hanna (Florida)
Healy, Christopher Robert (Florida)
Heiman, Julia Alexandra (Florida)
Hermann, Robyn Juanita (Florida)
Hirst, Michael Andrew (Florida)
Hitchings, Erica Blachman (Florida)
Hofstetter, Shana Ann (Florida)
Hogan, Tara Kathleen (Florida)
Huber, Christopher J. (Florida)
Jarrett, Beth Dawson (Florida)
Jennings, Guy Patrick (Florida)
Jewell, Sarah Coppola (Florida)
Josephson, Matthew A (Florida)
Karpati, Elizabeth F (Florida)
Kelleher, Finnuala M. (Florida)
Kenny, Edward Francis (Florida)
Kramer, Elizabeth Jane (Florida)
Kurland, Joshua Ethan (Florida)
Leonard, Nancy Cross (Florida)
Lepore, Robert Austin (Florida)
Llewellyn, Nicholas P. (Florida)
MacGriff, Scott Assiff (Florida)
MacWilliams, Philip Davis (Florida)
Magliolo-DOJ, Joseph Andrew (Florida)
Mahoney, Kathleen Anne (Florida)
Mancusi-Ungaro, Philip (Florida)
Maraist, Catherine M. (Florida)
Marutollo, Joseph Anthony (Florida)
Matchison, Amy Talburt (Florida)
Mazumdar, Joseph Chandra (Florida)
McBride, Scott Daniel (Florida)
McCarthy, Patricia Mary (Florida)
McNamara, Courtney Sheehan (Florida)
Miller, Justin Reinhart (Florida)
Miller, Caroline Heck (Florida)
Minnis, Tarra DeShields (Florida)
Monteleone, Robyn-Marie L (Florida)
Moore, Tiffany Mallory (Florida)
Mountcastle, Rick A. (Florida)
Munoz-Acosta, Isabel (Florida)
Nelson, David Christopher (Florida)
O'Neill, Kathleen Suzanne (Florida)
Outerbridge, Peter Burchell (Florida)
Pahl, Michael Richard (Florida)
Panzera, Michael David (Florida)
Parascandola, Christina B. (Florida)
Perlin, Bonni Jessica (Florida)
Peter-Griffith, Ann Marie (Florida)
Pettis, Yohance Asim (Florida)
Pfannenschmidt, Dennis (Florida)
Powell, Jeffrey Kenneth (Florida)
Preheim, Loren Misha (Florida)
Prescott, Yvette Rhodes (Florida)
Price, Thomas Russell (Florida)
Prince, Robert Joseph (Florida)
Proctor, Melanie Lea (Florida)
Przywara, Kathleen M. (Florida)
Richards, Nelson Ryan (Florida)
Robinson, Natasha Camille (Florida)
Rolig, Whitney Marie (Florida)
Rosen, Lawrence Nathan (Florida)
Rosenbaum, Joseph Steven (Florida)
Sadowski, Robert Wayne (Florida)
Sampson, Colin Christopher (Florida)
Schachner, Elliot M. (Florida)
Scheperle, Marie Constance (Florida)
Schriltz, Karl Stuart (Florida)
Sealls, Kenneth Elliot (Florida)
Shean, Daniel Patrick (Florida)
Simmons, Zachary Scott (Florida)
Statkus, Shannon Heath (Florida)
Stengle, Linda Jeffries (Florida)
Stier, Cynthia Lewis (Florida)
Stoltz-DOJ, Brian Walters (Florida)
Streeter, Jonathan R. (Florida)
Sverdlov, Alexander V. (Florida)
Theiss, Joanna Victoria (Florida)
Tillman, St. Lutheran (Florida)
Tosini, Stephen Carl (Florida)
Tumlin-Bhattacharyya, Tracy Rupa (Florida)
Underhill, R Michael (Florida)
Viray-Fung, Nataline (Florida)
Waldref, Vanessa Ruth (Florida)
Weinstein, Laurie J. (Florida)
Wenthold, Rachel Elizabeth (Florida)
Whitlock, Michael L. (Florida)
Wilkerson, Kirsten L. (Florida)
Wilson, Edward Bryan (Florida)
Wolverton, Caroline Lewis (Florida)
Yavelberg, Jamie Ann (Florida)
Yoma-Awin, Monica S. (Florida)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4231667/hollywood-synagogue-v-city-of-hollywood/
Last updated April 7, 2025, 10:57 a.m.
Docket for: Hollywood Synagogue v. City of Hollywood
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 15, 2004
Closing Date: 2012
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The United States Department of Justice Housing and Civil Enforcement Section on behalf of the Hollywood Community Synagogue, and the Hollywood Community Synagogue.
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
City
City of Hollywood, Forida
Case Details
Other Dockets:
Southern District of Florida 0:04-cv-61212
Southern District of Florida 0:05-cv-60687
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 06-14343
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Content of Injunction:
Amount Defendant Pays: 2,000,000
Order Duration: 2007 - 2012
Issues
Discrimination Basis:
Case Summary of Hollywood Synagogue v. City of Hollywood & U.S. v. City of Hollywood, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/9909/ (last updated 3/8/2018).