Email from Joe Justice today:
Justice Aviation and the City of Santa Monica have reached an agreement to resolve all of their disputes and litigation. Specifically, Justice Aviation will cease all operations at SMO no later than May 11, 2016 and will vacate all premises it now occupies at the airport no later than June 10, 2016. Additionally, Justice Aviation will dismiss or withdraw as a plaintiff or complainant from its District Court Action, two Part 16 actions and the Class Action Lawsuit with prejudice, and release and hold the City harmless from any liability or responsibility for any actions, omissions or conduct by it. City will dismiss its Unlawful Detainer action against Justice Aviation and will pay Justice Aviation the full and final sum of $450,000.00 as compensation for the closure of its business operations at the SMO. As part of this voluntary resolution of disputes, neither party admits to any liability or responsibility for any of the actions, omissions or conduct alleged in the litigation and administrative proceedings filed by the parties.
Not regarding the agreement and just a farewell.
It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve your aviation needs. I am overwhelmed by the support we have received by all of you through the years. Funds have been contributed to the legal defense of Justice Aviation by many of you with the intent to help us and I am sure those who donated were hoping we could continue business. I hope each of you who donated do not feel as though your efforts have totally failed. In truth all but one of the aircraft here one belong to others and will likely move to one of the other flight schools here and all of the flight instructors currently working at Justice Aviation will be free to move to the other flight schools. So in fact your ability to rent and fly should not be slowed.
The investment you made has allowed David Shaby (our attorney) to lay the ground work for the defense of the other schools at the airport which should ensure the future of those schools. In our case knowing if we went to court there was always a chance that we could lose even though we thought it unlikely. If we would have lost we would have been out with little or no funds to pay our debts.
Our financial situation has been on the brink of closure for the last five years and when you add that to the poor health that Sharon (my wife) has been experiencing my stress level is sure to go down. I will not be giving flight instruction at Santa Monica Airport any longer but I am still good to do some flight test. There are quite a few friends I will fly with for fun so I do hope to see each of you around the airport. My wife and I thank you for the years of laughter and smiles and your final help which allowed us to depart with grace and dignity and at the same time supported the future of the other flight schools at Santa Monica airport. Fly safe and fly often.
Joe Justice
Very sad.