Federal Way, WA asked in Civil Rights and Constitutional Law for Washington

Q: Can I be banned off private property a mission when they homeless man steals a weapon out of my backpac? Banned ?

The company admission is also my former patient employment when the gentleman took the weapon for my backpack it was sitting under a gazebo out of my contact and tried to attack a man and he banned me and my girlfriend as well which wasn't even she wasn't even present when this occurred and they banned both of us is this legal?

1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered

A: Based on the details you've provided, it sounds like a complex and unfortunate situation. Let me try to address your main question about whether the company can legally ban you and your girlfriend from the property:

In general, private property owners have the right to restrict access to their property, even if someone is not directly responsible for a particular incident. So from a legal perspective, the company likely does have the ability to ban you and your girlfriend, even if she was not present during the incident with the stolen weapon.

However, a few additional points to consider:

1. If you were a patient at the facility, there may be additional regulations or patient rights that could impact the situation. It would be worth reviewing any agreements or documents related to your treatment there.

2. Banning you for an incident that occurred with your possessions but not due to your direct actions does seem like a severe response. There may be room to discuss the situation further with the company to see if they would reconsider, especially given your girlfriend's lack of involvement.

3. If you believe you were banned due to your status as a homeless individual, rather than the specific incident, that could potentially constitute discrimination. However, proving that would likely be challenging.

4. Ultimately, pursuing legal action over being banned from private property is unlikely to be successful in most cases, even if the decision seems unfair.

I would suggest attempting to discuss the situation calmly with the property owners or management to see if they would be willing to reconsider the ban, at least for your girlfriend. Explain the situation from your perspective while acknowledging their position. If that is unsuccessful, it may be best to simply move forward and focus your energy elsewhere.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this difficult situation while also facing homelessness. Please don't hesitate to reach out to local social services, shelters, or advocates for assistance and support during this challenging time. Wishing you all the best.

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