The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is taking new legal action to curb the “abusive” practices of a local attorney who’s filed thousands of disability lawsuits in recent years.
State attorneys filed a motion in federal court Tuesday to label Peter Strojnik a “vexatious litigant” and limit his ability to file new lawsuits, records show.
The motion states that the move is necessary to protect the “District Court of Arizona and the public from Mr. Strojnik’s abusive and bad-faith litigation practices.”
FULL COVERAGE: Cash for Compliance?
In the last few years, Strojnik has filed more than 2,000 lawsuits alleging violations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. ABC15 has reported extensively on his cases, specifically his lawsuits filed on behalf of a controversial group called Advocates for Individuals with Disabilities (AID).
ABC15’s reports prompted the Attorney General to take previous action against AID and Strojnik last year, which resulted in mass dismissal of those cases in state court.
As part of the AG’s previous actions, AID and Strojnik settled with the state agreeing to never file another ADA lawsuit in state courts again. However, Strojnik has filed nearly 60 new cases in federal court.
ABC15 has learned in some of those cases, Strojnik is demanding as much as $50,000 to settle.
Those new lawsuits are the reason why the Attorney General’s Office said it is again attempting to intervene.
By labeling Strojnik as a “vexatious litigant,” the Attorney General’s Office is requesting that the court require Strojnik do three things before he could file new ADA lawsuits: (1) Obtain approval form the court; (2) Provide a copy of any potential lawsuits to the potential defendants; (3) For any lawsuits, file an itemized list, under the penalty of perjury, his costs and expenses.
In an email to ABC15, Strojnik blasted Attorney General Mark Brnovich over the new motion.
“Mr. Brnovich’s relentless oppression of disabled individuals who are committed to advance the time when places of public accommodations become compliant with the 1991 Civil Rights Law is astounding,” Strojnik said.
Multiple judges have admonished Strojnik for his conduct in ADA cases. In decisions, those judges have called his practices “extortionate” and “unethical.”
The State Bar of Arizona is also investigating Strojnik for his conduct in ADA cases.
Contact ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing at dbiscobing@abc15.com.
