Cathedral City Ordered To Pay Nearly $1 Million In Court Costs

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles judge has ordered the City of Cathedral City to pay $952,097 in court costs and legal fees to a former employee and others sued over a new shopping plaza.

The city had sued Beverly Hills-based Tri-Millennium Cathedral City LLC, claiming there was a conflict of interest in the construction of a downtown hotel, commercial building, 62 apartments, and 42 townhomes. The city zeroed in on Charlene Sumpter, a former employee.

In 2009, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge dismissed the city’s claims, which led to this latest order to reimburse Sumpter and the others named in the lawsuit for court costs and legal fees.

While that is now behind them, the City of Cathedral City still faces a counter-lawsuit, claiming wrongful termination of contract. Tri-Millennium is seeking more than $10 million in damages.