A federal court has certified a class action on behalf of more than 220 residents displaced by the 2023 Thanksgiving fire that destroyed The Reserve at Lavista Walk, a 284-unit apartment complex in northeast Atlanta owned by an out-of-state corporate landlord.

Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May of the Northern District of Georgia issued the certification order on November 19, 2025, finding that the central question of whether the defendants' actions or omissions caused the fire applies to every resident. The ruling arrives two years after families lost their homes, scattered to hotels and relatives' couches, and watched their belongings get looted from a building their landlord failed or refused to secure. They have yet to be made whole.

"This certification means that hundreds of families will finally have their day in court," said Doug Dean, lead counsel for the plaintiffs at Dean Thaxton, LLC. "These residents trusted their landlords to maintain a safe building. That trust was betrayed, and now they will have the chance to hold these defendants accountable."

The Tenants' Claims

The tenants allege that the property's owners and operators knew the building's fire-safety systems were deficient and failed to act. Residents had repeatedly complained about malfunctioning fire alarms, which triggered so many false alarms that tenants grew desensitized to them. On the night of the fire, some residents hesitated to evacuate, unsure whether the alarm was genuine.

Former residents also maintain that management had knowledge that individuals were accessing the parking deck and the roof to discharge fireworks and firearms, yet took no preventative action. Documents produced in discovery reveal that local managers requested additional security resources. Those requests were denied by the owners.

The fire burned for more than eight hours, collapsing one building and rendering the other uninhabitable. Both structures were later demolished. Yet even after the fire, residents allege the property was left unsecured, leading to widespread looting before tenants could retrieve their remaining possessions. When residents sought access to salvage their belongings, some allege they were required to sign liability waivers and threatened with arrest if they refused. The complex also continued billing tenants for rent and service charges despite the uninhabitable conditions.

The Ruling

In certifying the class, Judge May found that common issues of law and fact predominate over individualized questions. While residents experienced different types and degrees of harm, the Court determined that the threshold question of whether the defendants' conduct caused the fire can be resolved in a single proceeding that applies to the entire class.

The Court also found that a class action represents the superior method for resolving the dispute, noting that repeated litigation of the same core liability issues would burden the judicial system and risk inconsistent outcomes. Individual damages will be addressed in subsequent proceedings after the liability determination.

What Comes Next

The certified class includes all residents listed in the defendants' leasing records as of November 10, 2023.

"For two years, these families have lived with the trauma of losing everything in a single night," Dean said. "Today's ruling affirms that they will not have to fight this battle alone. We will stand together."

About the Legal Team

The plaintiffs are represented by Dean Thaxton, LLC; Epps, Holloway, Deloach & Hoipkemier, LLC; and the Brosnahan Law Firm. Together, these firms have recovered millions on behalf of individuals harmed by corporate negligence.

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