Ms. Cooke and her disabled children moved into a house with leaks, broken appliances, faulty windows, and electrical problems. The conditions were so poor that the family was forced to move out. The landlord responded by filing an eviction, seeking more than $6,000 in back rent–even though he had told her not to pay because of the conditions.

Attorneys Jack Dalton and Sean McPhillip of Troutman Sanders took the case and argued that Ms. Cooke had been constructively evicted, meaning she was forced to move out because the property was uninhabitable. The Magistrate Court agreed, ruling that the house was “an unfit place” for the family and that Ms. Cooke owed no rent to the landlord. Thanks to Jack and Sean for proving that an attorney (or two!) can make all the difference for tenants facing eviction.