ATLANTA — A federal judge has certified a class action lawsuit for more than 220 residents displaced by a massive 2023 fire that completely destroyed The Reserve at LaVista Walk , a 284-unit apartment complex in northeast Atlanta.

The ruling could pave the way for residents to seek compensation from the out-of-state corporate landlord.

Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May of the Northern District of Georgia issued the certification order Nov. 19, finding that the central question of whether the defendants’ actions or omissions caused the fire applies to all residents.

“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 maintai

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