Facts

Beginning in 2015, after Dana Hollister purchased the Waverly property from two nuns, who resided there, for $44,000 down and with delayed payments beginning in 2018 that would bring the purchase total up to $10 million. Singer/songwriter Katy Perry, along with Bird Nest LLC, and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles brought suit against Dana Hollister over the ownership of the property.

PLAINTIFFS' CONTENTIONS: Plaintiffs alleged that defendant interfered with the sale of the Waverly property to plaintiff, by claiming she had a claim to the property.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS: Defendant denied all allegations and contended that she purchased the property from two nuns in good faith.

Result

A jury found the defendant liable for $10 million in punitive damages with the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles receiving $6.7 million and Katy Perry's company Bird Nest LLC receiving $.3 million.

Other Information

The jury's initial verdict was for actual damages of $3,476,842 in favor of the Roman Catholic Archbishop and $1,914,294 in favor of Bird Nest with a finding of malice, fraud or oppression that grounded the subsequent punitive damages verdict. Following the verdict, Hollister filed for bankruptcy. In a settlement, mediated by Chief Bankruptcy Judge Sheri Bluebond, Hollister agreed (and the bankruptcy court approved and ordered) a settlement providing, in pertinent part, for payment of $6.5 million to the Archbishop and Bird Nest, secured by virtually all of Hollister's assets.