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Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Stanley Jancik v. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities and Marsha Allen Case Brief

Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit1995Docket #1671733
44 F.3d 553 1995 U.S. App. LEXIS 198 1995 WL 4717 Property Law Civil Rights Law Administrative Law

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: A landlord advertised for a “mature person” and questioned prospective tenants about their race and family status. The court held these actions violated the Fair Housing Act’s prohibition on statements that indicate a discriminatory preference.

Legal Significance: Establishes that under the Fair Housing Act, a landlord’s statements violate § 3604(c) if they would suggest a discriminatory preference to an “ordinary listener,” considering the full context of the communication.

Stanley Jancik v. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities and Marsha Allen Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Stanley Jancik, a landlord, placed a newspaper advertisement for a one-bedroom apartment stating a “mature person [is] preferred.” The Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities, a fair housing organization, dispatched two “testers” to inquire about the unit. Jancik asked the white tester her age and race, specifically inquiring if her Norwegian surname meant she was “white Norwegian or black Norwegian.” He also told her he did not want teenagers in the building. Jancik asked the African American tester about her race and whether she had children. Upon learning she had no children, he replied “wonderful” and explained he was screening applicants to avoid tenants who were loud or had children. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) charged Jancik with violating § 3604(c) of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by making statements indicating a preference based on familial status and race. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) found Jancik had violated the FHA, and Jancik petitioned the circuit court for review.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Do a landlord’s advertisement for a “mature person” and oral inquiries into prospective tenants’ race and familial status constitute statements that “indicate” a preference, limitation, or discrimination in violation of § 3604(c) of the Fair Housing Act?

Yes. The court affirmed the agency’s finding that the landlord’s advertisement and Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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Legal Issue

Do a landlord’s advertisement for a “mature person” and oral inquiries into prospective tenants’ race and familial status constitute statements that “indicate” a preference, limitation, or discrimination in violation of § 3604(c) of the Fair Housing Act?

Conclusion

This case solidifies the use of the objective "ordinary listener/reader" standard for Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ul

Legal Rule

A statement or advertisement violates § 3604(c) of the Fair Housing Act, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidata

Legal Analysis

The court adopted the objective "ordinary reader/listener" standard to determine whether a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • A landlord’s ad for a “mature person” and oral statements discouraging
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur

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