7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
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SUPERIORCOURTOFTHE
STATEOF
CALIFORNIA
FOR THECOUNTY
OF LOS ANGELES
INAKSHI
JAFA-BODDEN,
v
s .
P l a i n t i f f ,
B
IKRAM
CHOUDHURY,
n d i v i d u a l l y
and
a s
Pr e s i d e n t of
Bikram Choudhury
Yoga
n c . ,
Chairman and
CEO
f
Bikram's Yoga C o l l e g e
of
n d i a , LP nd
a s P r e s i d e n t
of Bikram,
n c . ;
R
AJASHREE
CHOUDHURY,
n d i v i d u a l l y
and
a
s
P r e s i d e n t of
USA YOGA FEDERATION,
Vi c e P r e s i d e n t of
BIKRAM S
YOGA
COLLEGE OF NDIA,
. P .
and
a s Vice
P
r e s i d e n t
of i l c r a m , I n c . ; BIKRAM S
YOGA
C
OLLEGE
OF NDIA L . P . ; BIKRAM,
NC.;
U
SA
YOGA
FEDERATION;
IKRAM
C
HOUDHURY YOGA,
NC.;
PETRA
STARKE,
n d i v i d u a l l y
and a s
P r e s i d e n t
of
B
i k r a m s
Yoga
C o l l e g e
of n d i a ,
and DOES
t
hrough
25, n c l u s i v e ,
2
1
D e f e n d a n t s .
CASENO.
C512041
[
s s i g n e d t o t h e
Hon.
Mark
Mooney,
De p t . 68]
[
PROPOSED]
J
UDGMENT
ON
JURY
VERDICT
T
h i s
a c t i o n
c a m e on
e g u l a r l y
f o r
t r i a l
on J a n u a r y
4, 2016
n
Department 68
of
h e
S
u p e r i o r
C o u r t ,
County
of Los
A n g e l e s ,
t h e
Honorable
Mar k
Mooney,
Judge
p r e s i d i n g .
P l a i n t i f f
n a k s h i J a f a - B o d d e n ,
was
r e p r e s e n t e d
b y
Mar k T.
Q u i g l e y
and
Aaron
L.
Osten
of
Greene
B
r o i l l e t
W h e e l e r , LLP
and C a r l a V .
Minnard
of
h e Minnard Law
Firm.
Defendant
Bikram
C
houdhury was e p r e s e n t e d b y Robert N. a f o y a , Esq.
of
Tafoya G a r c i a ,
LLP,
nd D e f e n d a n t s
- 1-
[PROPOSED]
UDGMENT
ON
JURY VERDICT
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
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26
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Bikram s
Yoga College
of I n d i a
L . P . ;
Bikram, I n c . ;
and
B i k r a m Choudhury
Yoga,
I n c .
were
re p r e s e n t e d
by
Lucien
A.
Schmit
of l b r i g h t
chmit.
A
j u r y of
twelve
p e r s o n s
w a s
r e g u l a r l y impaneled
and
sworn. Witnesses
were
sworn and
t
e s t i f i e d .
A f t e r h e a r i n g t h e
e v i d e n c e
and t h e
arguments
of
o u n s e l t h e
j u r y w a s duly
i n s t r u c t e d
by
t
he C o u r t
counsel
argued
t h e
c a u s e
and t h e
j u r y r e t u r n e d i t s
v e r d i c t
on J a n u a r y 25, 2016,
a s
f
o l l o w s :
We
an swe r
t h e
q u e s t i o n s s u b m i t t e d
t o us
a s
f o l l o w s :
1. Was
icki B o dd e n
an employee
of n d / o r
a
p e r s o n
p r o v i d i n g s e r v i c e s
under
a
o n t r a c t
w
i t h :
(a) Bikram s
Yoga
C o l l e g e
of
n d i a
L . P . X Ye s
No
)
B i k r a m
Choudhury
Yoga, n c .
X Ye s
No
)
B i k r a m
I n c .
X Ye s
No
I
f
you
answered
yes
f o r any
d e f e n d a n t
i n q u e s t i o n
1 then answer q u e s t i o n
2 . I f
you
a
nswered
no
f o r
l l
d e f e n d a n t s i n q u e s t i o n 1 answer no
f u r t h e r
q u e s t i o n s ;
and have
t h e
p
r e s i d i n g
j u r o r
s i g n
and
d a t e
t h i s
form.
2
Was
Micki
B o dd e n
s u b j e c t e d t o unwanted
h a r a s s i n g
conduct because she
w a s a
wo m a n
a n d / o r
d i d she
p e r s o n a l l y w i t n e s s
h a r a s s i n g conduct h a t took p l a c e i n h e r immediate
work
e
n v i r o n m e n t .
X Yes
No
If our
answer
t o
q u e s t i o n
2 s
y e s
t h e n
an swe r
q u e s t i o n
3 .
I f
you
answered
no, h e n
s l i p
q
u e s t i o n s
3
hrough 9, and proceed
t o q u e s t i o n
1 0 .
3.
Was
h e
harassment
e v e r e o r p e r v a s i v e ?
X Yes No
If our
answer
t o
q u e s t i o n
3 i s y e s then
answer q u e s t i o n 4.
I f
you
a ~ I s w e r e d no, t h e n
s
k i p
q u e s t i o n s
4
hrough 9,
and
p r o c e e d t o
q u e s t i o n 1 0 .
-
2
PROPOSED] UDGiVIEN
~N
JUFZY
VERDICT
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
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7
1
8
1
9
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21
22
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3
2
4
2
5
2
6
2
7
2
8
4.
Would
a
r e a s o n a b l e
woman
i n
Micki
Bodden s
circumstances
have
c o n s i d e r e d t h e
w
ork
environment o
be
h o s t i l e
o r abusive?
X Yes
No
I
f
our answer
t o
q u e s t i o n
4
s y e s
then answer
q u e s t i o n 5 .
I f you
answered
no,
then
sk i p
q u e s t i o n s
5
hrough
9, and proceed t o
q u e s t i o n 10.
5
. Did
M i c i c i Bodden
o n s i d e r t h e work
environment o be
o s t i l e or abusive?
Xes
No
If
our answer
t o q u e s t i o n
5 s
y e s
then
answer
q u e s t i o n 6. I f you
answered no,
h e n
s
k i p q u e s t i o n s
6
hrough
9, and proceed t o
q u e s t i o n
10.
6.
Did
any
defendant
f o r
whom
you answered yes
i n q u e s t i o n 1
o r
t s
s u p e r v i s o r s
o r
a
g e n t s k no w
or should have
known of h e h a r a s s i n g conduct?
Xes
No
I
f
ou
answered y e s
then
answer
q u e s t i o n
7 .
I f
you
answered no
i n q u e s t i o n 6,
s k i p
q
u e s t i o n
7,
and
proceed
t o q u e s t i o n
8 .
7.
Did
any defendant who
you
answered
yes
f o r i n
q u e s t i o n 1
o r t s
s u p e r v i s o r s
o r
a g e n t s
f
il t o t a k e
immediate
and
p p r o p r i a t e
c o r r e c t i v e
a c t i o n ?
X
Yes
No
nswer Question 8.
8. Did
Bikram
Choudhury p a r t i c i p a t e i n a s s i s t
o r
encourage
h e
h a r a s s i n g
conduct?
X
es
No
I
f ou
answered
no
t o
both q u e s t i o n
7
nd 8 , k i p q u e s t i o n 9
nd
answer
q u e s t i o n
1 0 .
I f
y
ou
answered yes t o
e i t h e r
q u e s t i o n
7
r q u e s t i o n
~ then answer
q u e s t i o n 9.
- 3
~~~~~~~~~~
J~~~~~~
o~
URY
U~R~I~~
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
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7
1
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2
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22
2
3
24
25
2
6
2
7
2
8
9.
Was h e
h a r a s s i n g
conduct
a
u b s t a n t i a l
f a c t o r i n c a u s i n g
harm
t o
Micki B o d de n?
X
e s . No
A
nswer
q u e s t i o n
1 0 .
1 0 . Did
Micki Bo d d en r e p o r t
o r
complain
about s e x u a l
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
a n d / o r s e x u a l
h
a r a s s m e n t i n
t h e
workplace?
X
Yes
No
I
f
our
answer
t o q u e s t i o n
10 i s
y e s , .
t h e n
answer
q u e s t i o n
1 1 .
I f
y o u
answered
n o
t o
q
u e s t i o n
10, hen
s k i p
q u e s t i o n s 11,
12
and 13,and
p r o c e e d
t o
q u e s t i o n
1 4 .
1
1 .
Did
any
defendant
o r whom o u
answered
y e s
i n q u e s t i o n 1 d i s c h a r g e
Micki B o d de n
o
r engage i n
c o n d u c t
taken
a s
a
whole,
a t e r i a l l y
and
a d v e r s e l y
a f f e c t t h e terms and
c o n d i t i o n s
o f
p
l a i n t i f f s
employment?
X
Yes
No
I
f
our
answer
t o
q u e s t i o n
11 i s
y e s
then
a n s w e r _
q u e s t i o n
1 2 .
I f y o u
answered
n o
t o
q
u e s t i o n 11,
hen
s k i p q u e s t i o n s 12
and 1 3
and
proceed
t o q u e s t i o n
1 4 .
1
2 .
Was
icki Bodden s r e p o r t
o r
complaint about
s e x u a l
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
a n d / o r
s e x u a l
h
arassment
i n
t h e
workplace a s u b s t a n t i a l
m o t i v a t i n g
r e a s o n f o r
t h e
d e c i s i o n
t o
d i s c h a r g e Micki
Bodden?
X
Yes
No
I
f
our
answer
t o
q u e s t i o n
12
i s
y e s
t h e n
answer q u e s t i o n 1 3 .
I f
y o u
answered
n o
t o
q
u e s t i o n
12, hen
s k i p
q u e s t i o n 13,
and
proceed
t o
q u e s t i o n 1 4 .
1
3 . Was
h e
conduct o f any
d e f e n d a n t
f o r whom y o u
checked y e s
t o
i n q u e s t i o n 1
a
s
u b s t a n t i a l f a c t o r i n c a u s i n g harm
t o
Micki B o d de n?
X
Yes
No
A
nswer q u e s t i o n 1 4 .
4
[~~~{~~5~~
J~~~~~N~
~~~U~Y
~~R~~~~
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
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~
1
8
1
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2
1
22
2
3
24
2
5
2
6
2
7
2
8
1 4 .
Did
any
defendant
f o r whom
you
answered
y e s
t o i n q u e st i o n 1 , f a i l t o t a k e
a l l
r
e a s o n a b l e s t e p s t o
p r e v e n t
t h e harassment
n d / o r
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
a n d / o r
r e t a l i a t i o n ?
Xe s No
I
f our answer
t o
q u e s t i o n
14 s
y e s ,
then answer
q u e s t i o n
1 5 .
I f
you answered
no,
k i p
q
u e s t i o n
15, and proceed o
q u e s t i o n
1 6 .
1
5 . For any
defendant you answered yes t o
i n q u e s t i o n 1 ,
w a s t h a t
d e f e n d a n t s
f a i l u r e
t o
pr e v e n t
t h e
harassment
n d / o r
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
a n d / o r
r e t a l i a t i o n a
u b s t a n t i a l
f a c t o r
i n
c a u s i n g harm
to Micki
Bodden?
X Yes
No
Answer
q u e s t i o n
1 6 .
1
6.
Was
icki
Bodden
d i s c h a r g e d ?
X
Yes No
If
our
answer
t o q u e s t i o n
16 i s
y e s , then
answer
q u e s t i o n
1 7 .
I f you
answered
no,
k i p
qu e s t i o n s
17, 18 and
19,
and proceed
t o
q u e s t i o n
20.
1
7 . Was
Micki
Bodden s
r e p o r t i n g
a n d / o r
complaining
about
h e r
r e a s o n a b l y
b a s e d
su s p i c i o n of
e x u a l
harassment a n d / o r
s e x u a l
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
b y
Bikram Choudhury,
a
s u b s t a n t i a l
mo t i v a t i n g
r e a s o n
f o r
h e r
d i s c h a r g e ?
X
Yes
No
If our
answer
o
q u e s t i o n 17
s
y e s , then
answer
q u e s t i o n 1 8 . I f
you answered no,
k i p
q
u e s t i o n
18, and
proceed
t o
q u e s t i o n 1 9 .
1
8 . Did
h e
d i s c h a r g e
cause
Micki
Bodden harm ?
X
Ye s No
- 5
[PROPOSED] UDGfvIEfVT
ON
JURY
VERDICT
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
6/9
M~
U
o
~
pZ
aw
1
Z
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1
1
1
2
13
1
4
1
5
1
6
1
7
1
8
1
9
2
0
2
1
2
2
2
3
24
2
5
26
2
7
2
8
1 9 .
I f
you
answered y e s t o
q u e s t i o n
9, r 1 3 , o r 1 5 , o r 18 t h e n answer t h e
q u e s t i o n
below
th i s p a r a g r a p h .
I f
you
d i d
not answer y e s t o q u e s t i o n 9 ,
r
1 3 ,
o r 1 5 , o r
1 8 , t h e n
s t o p h e r e ,
answer
n
o u r t h e r
q u e s t i o n s , and
have
h e
p r e s i d i n g
j u r o r
s i g n
and d a t e
t h i s
form.
Wh a t a r e
Micki Bodden s
damages?
) P a s t Lost
a r n i n g s 37 054
)
F u t u r e
Lost a r n i n g s 87,500
) P a s t noneconomic o s s , i n c l u d i n g
mental
s u f f e r i n g
and e m o t i o n a l d i s t r e s s
50,000
)
F u t u r e noneconomic o s s ,
i n c l u d i n g
mental s u f f e r i n g and
e m o t i o n a l
d i s t r e s s
450,000
TOTAL
24,554
A
nswer
q u e s t i o n
2 0 .
20 .
Has Micki
B o d d e n
p r o v e d ,
by
c l e a r
and
c o n v i n c i n g
e v i d e n c e ,
t h a n
an
o f f i c e r ,
d i r e c t o r ,
or
managing
a g e n t of
any
of
h e d e f e n d a n t s
t h a t you checked
y e s
t o
i n
q u e s t i o n 1 ,
engaged
i n
m a l i c e , o p p r e s s i o n , o r f r a u d ,
beyond
t h e
w r o n g f u l
t e r m i n a t i o n
i t s e l f
o r
t h a t
such conduct
w as
r
a t i f i e d
by
an
o f f i c e r ,
d i r e c t o r ,
o r
managing
a g e n t
of
one
of
h e d e f e n d a n t s
you checked y e s t o i n
qu e s t i o n 1?
X
Yes No
On
J a n u a r y
26,
2016
h e
j u r y
d e l i b e r a t e d on h e
i s s u e
of
u n i t i v e
damages
and
r e t u r n e d
the o l l o w i n g v e r d i c t :
SPECIAL
VERDICT
PUNITIVE
DAMAGES
W
e
h e
j u r y , n
t h e above
i t l e d
c a s e ,
answer
h e
u e s t i o n
s u b m i t t e d t o us a s f o l l o w s :
W
h a t
amount
of
u n i t i v e
damages do
you
award a g a i n s t D e f e n d a n t s ?
T
OTAL
iJNITIVE
DAMAGES:
, 4 7 1 , 8 7 8 . 0 0
- 6-
[PROPOSED]
UDGiViENT
ON
JURY
VERDICT
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
7/9
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N
U
o
m
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Z
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n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1
0
1
1
1
2
1
3
14
1
5
16
1
7
1
8
19
2
0
2
1
22
2
3
24
25
26
2
7
28
NOW THEREFORE
T
IS
ORDERED ADJUDGED
AND DECREED
h a t
P l a i n t i f f
M n a k s h i
Jafa-Bodden, r e c o v e r t h e amount of
7 , 3 9 6 , 4 3 2 . 0 0 from
Defendants
Bikram
Choudhury, Bikram s Yoga
College
Of
n d i a L . P . ; Bikram, n c . ;
and
Bikram Choudhury
Yoga,
I
n c .
P l a i n t i f f ' s
A p p l i c a t i o n
f o r
A t t o r n e y s
Fees and Costs t o be h e a r d
a n d
c o n s i d e r e d
b y
t h e
Court t a
a t e r
d a t e .
D
a t e d :
The
Honorable Mark M o o n e y
J
udge
of
h e
S u p e r i o r
Court
-
7-
[PROPOSED]
UDGMEfVT
ON
JURY
VERDICT
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
8/9
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1
0
1 1
12
1
3
1
4
1
5
1
6
1
7
1
8
1
9
20
2
1
2
2
23
24
2
5
2
6
2
7
28
PROOFOF
SERVICE
.C.P. 1013A,
015.5)
S
TATE
OFCALIFORNIA
I
am
employed
i n
t h e
county
of
Los
Angeles,
S t a t e
of C a l i f o r n i a . I
am
v e r
t h e
age
of
e
i g h t e e n
y e a r s and
not a p a r t y
t o
t h e
w i t h i n
a c t i o n ;
my
u s i n e s s
a d d r e s s
i s 100 W i l s h i r e Boule-
v a r d , 2 1 s t
F l o o r ,
Santa
Monica,
a l i f o r n i a
90401.
O
n
January 28, 2016, I s e r v e d t h e f o r e g o i n g document, d e s c r i b e d
fPROPOSEDI
J
UDGMENT
ON
JURY VERDICT; n
t h e i n t e r e s t e d
p a r t i e s i n
t h i s
a c t i o n
by
p l a c i n g
t h e
t r u e
c
o p i e s
t h e r e o f
n c l o s e d
i n
s e a l e d
envelopes
a d d r e s s e d a s
s t a t e d
on
t h e a t t a c h e d
m a i l i n g
l i s t
X
Y
I
d e p o s i t e d
such
envelope i n t h e mail a t Santa
Monica, C a l i f o r n i a .
Th e
e
nvelope was mailed w i t h
p o s t a g e
t h e r e o n f u l l y
p r e p a i d .
X
s o l l o w s : I am r e a d i l y f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e f i rm s
p r a c t i c e
of
o l l e c t i o n
and
p
r o c e s s i n g correspondence
f o r
m a i l i n g .
Under
t h a t p r a c t i c e
i t
would
be
d e p o s i t e d w i t h
U
S . p o s t a l s e r v i c e
on
t h a t
same
day
w i t h p o s t a g e t h e r e o n
f u l l y
p r e p a i d
a t
S a n t a
M
o n i c a , C a l i f o r n i a
i n
t h e
o r d i n a r y
c o u r s e
of
u s i n e s s .
I am ware
t h a t
on motion of h e
p a r t y
s e r v e d ,
s e r v i c e
i s
presumed i n v a l i d i f p o s t a l c a n c e l l a t i o n
d a t e o r
p o s t a g e
m e t e r
d
a t e
i s more
than
one
day
a f t e r d a t e of e p o s i t f o r m a i l i n g i n
a f f i d a v i t .
BY PERSONAL
SERVICE caused such
envelope
t o
be d e l i v e r e d
by hand t o
t h e
o
f f i c e s of h e a d d r e s s e e . I
d e l i v e r e d t o a n
a u t h o r i z e d
c o u r i e r
o r
d r i v e r t o be
d e l i v e r e d
on
t h e
same
d a t e .
XY
ELECTRONIC
SERVICE
d e l i v e r e d such
document v i a e l e c t r o n i c s e r v i c e t o
t h e
o
f f i c e s
of
h e
a d d r e s s e e .
BY
OVERNIGHT DELIVERY
caused
such
envelope t o be d e p o s i t e d
w i t h
a d e l i v e r y
s
e r v i c e
( F e d e r a l
Express) n Santa Monica,
a l i f o r n i a ,
f o r
o v e r n i g h t
d e l i v e r y
t o t h e
a d d r e s s e s
s e t
f
o r t h on
t h e a t t a c h e d
m a i l i n g l i s t
Y FACSIMILE
faxed a copy
of
t h e
above- d e s c r i b e d document
t o
t h e
i n t e r e s t e d
p
a r t i e s a s
s e t
f o r t h on t h e
a t t a c h e d m a i l i n g l i s t
E
x e c u t e d
on
January
28, 2016
a t
Santa Monica,
a l i f o r n i a .
X
State) d e c l a r e
under
p e n a l t y
of
e r j u r y under t h e
laws-~f
h e
S t a t e
of a l i f o r n i a
t h a t
t h e
a
bove i s
t r u e
and c o r r e c t .
/
M
indy Puchalt
N
ame
Signature
7/25/2019 Bikram - Jaffa-Bodden - Judgment
9/9
1
olden
v. Bikran~
S
u p e r i o r
Court of h e S t a t e of
a l i f o r n i a Los
Angeles County
2
ase No.:
BC
12041
3
Carla
Minnard, sq.
4
HE
MINNARD
LAW
IRM
4
100 Redwood
Rd., u i t e 145
5
akland,CA
4619
Phone:
510-479-1475
6
a c s i m i l e : (415)
58-5588
c
arlaminnard
minnardlaw.com
7
IA
.S.
Ro b e r t N .
afoya, sq .
8
AFOYA
& ARCIA,
LP
3
16
W.
S t r e e t
9
u i t e
1000
L
os
Angeles,
CA
0012
1
0
T e l :
(213)617-0600
F
ax:
213)617-2226
1
1
VIA
.S.
12
Lucien A .
chmit,
I I
A
LBRIGHT,
YEE
&
CHMIT,
LP
13
888
West
6 t r e e t
1
4
loor
1
4
Los An
l e s CA
0017
1
5
16
1
7
1
8
1
9
20
2
1
22
2
3
24
2
5
2
6
2
7
2
8
Co-Counsel
o r
P l a i n t i f f
A
t t o r n e y s
f o r
Defendant,
B
IKi2AM
CHOUDHURY
A
t t o r n e y s
f o r
Defendants,
B
IKRAM S
YOGA
COLLEGE OF
INDIA
L P . ;
BIKRAM,
INC.; AND
BIKRAM
CHOUDHURY
YOGA,
NC.