Dodger Fans Settle Excessive Force Suit
Two fans ejected from Dodger Stadium in 2024 have settled their lawsuit against the team just before a scheduled jury trial.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Baseball
Plaintiffs Luis Ortiz and Joanna Maria Iniguez settled their excessive force lawsuit against the Los Angeles Dodgers, filing the settlement unconditionally on Wednesday ahead of a Monday jury panel. No settlement terms were disclosed.
Why it matters
The case put the Dodgers' zero-tolerance stadium security policy under legal scrutiny, with the plaintiffs alleging that minor encounters with patrons were handled with excessive force. Because the settlement terms are undisclosed, the outcome leaves open how the team's security practices may be judged in court.
The record consists of a court filing of an unconditional settlement in Los Angeles Superior Court, filed on Wednesday before a Monday jury panel. The suit followed the October 5, 2024 ejection, and the financial terms remain undisclosed.
The players
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Major League Baseball franchise that operates Dodger Stadium and was named as the defendant in the excessive force lawsuit.
The details
Luis Ortiz and Joanna Maria Iniguez attended the Dodgers-Padres game on October 5, 2024, when security guards forcibly removed them from their seats after Iniguez allegedly made an obscene gesture toward guards. The suit alleges assault, battery, false imprisonment, civil rights violations, and negligent hiring, retention, and supervision, and claims Ortiz suffered a shoulder injury while Iniguez was hurt in the arm, wrist, elbow and hand.
Timeline
October 5, 2024: Ortiz and Iniguez are ejected from Dodger Stadium during the Dodgers-Padres game.
January 2025: The plaintiffs file suit in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: The plaintiffs file notice of an unconditional settlement ahead of a Monday jury panel.
Season Trajectory
The Dodgers' zero-tolerance policy, which the suit alleges allowed security personnel to run roughshod over minor encounters, is the central question raised by the case. The settlement removes that policy from a jury's review without any public finding on its application.
The settlement ends the possibility of a jury verdict on the Dodgers' stadium security practices, which means no ruling will clarify how the zero-tolerance policy applies to fans in similar situations. Fans who attend Dodger Stadium should expect the policy to remain in place as the team has described it.
The takeaway
Stadium patrons who face ejection should document interactions with security, since the case shows how contested accounts of minor incidents can become costly litigation. The settlement's undisclosed terms mean the public record will not reveal how the dispute was resolved.
Further reading
For more on the team at the center of this case, see Baseball coverage of the Los Angeles franchise.
Source note: This article includes information reported by My News LA.
