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Stevie Wonder files lawsuit to evict ex-fiance from rent-free LA home after 38 years
Stevie Wonder is seeking to reclaim a Los Angeles property occupied by former fiancée Carmen Efferson, whom he alleges has paid no rent since 1988.
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Stevie Wonder has initiated legal proceedings to evict Carmen Efferson, his former fiancée, who is alleged to have occupied a Los Angeles property owned by Wonder without paying rent since July 1988. Court filings state that no written agreement governed this arrangement, and Efferson has reportedly remitted monthly rental payments of $0 for around four decades.
According to TMZ, the lawsuit asserts that Wonder's team made multiple attempts throughout the summer months to gain entry to the property for the purpose of conducting a mandatory insurance inspection. However, Efferson allegedly denied access to all the people seeking entry. In the lawsuit, Wonder's legal counsel contends that this denial of access created a substantial risk to the property's insurance coverage, which subsequently led them to issue Efferson a formal notice in July that revoked her residential rights at the location.
Stevie Wonder seeks eviction order for Carmen Efferson
According to court filings, Efferson was mandated to vacate the residence by August 27. However, she continued to occupy the property beyond the specified deadline, as documented in the legal action. Wonder is petitioning the court to issue an eviction order, while simultaneously pursuing compensation for damages and recovery of attorney fees, as per TMZ.
A notice to vacate does not, in and of itself, permit a lockout under California law. An eviction, formally designated as an unlawful detainer action, constitutes a judicial proceeding in which the court determines whether the property owner possesses the legal right to regain possession, and a sheriff may only execute an eviction following the issuance of a court-ordered writ.
According to the state court's eviction procedural guide, landlords are prohibited from employing self-help remedies, including lock changes or removal of personal property, as mechanisms to compel occupant departure.
Carmen Efferson calls attorney ‘racist’
The dispute has extended beyond the courtroom into heated territory as well. According to the lawsuit, Efferson fired off an email that called out an attorney working on the case for adopting what she characterized as a racist, callous tone rooted in white male privilege, and she demanded he cease all communication with her.
Attorney David Huff addressed the allegation by pointing out that the initial lawyer who reached out to Efferson was neither white nor a man, as documented in the legal filing. Huff, who mentioned his grandfather was a champion of civil rights, had previously cautioned Efferson that declining the inspection might result in removal from the property, per the court documents.
Wonder and Efferson were said to be engaged back in the late 1980s, roughly when she's believed to have relocated to the residence. The musician has since married to his third spouse, Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, in 2017.
