81-Year-Old Man’s Daughter Included in Eviction

A judge who had ordered an 81-year-old man evicted from a house owned by the elderly man’s son extended the order Friday to include the man’s daughter as well.

Municipal Judge Richard W. Stanford Jr. extended the ruling against Luis Vaca Gallardo of Orange to include his daughter, Lucille Gallardo, who shares the house and who has fought off eviction attempts.

Gallardo and his daughter could be evicted within six days, a marshal’s spokesman said.

Last week, when Lucille Gallardo was confronted by marshals carrying the judge’s Nov. 21 ruling, she said it only pertained to her father because she was not named as a defendant. She told marshals that she rented the house and that her father could remain as her guest.

Stanford had ordered Gallardo to vacate the three-bedroom house he rents from his son, Felipe Hernandez, 62, of Orange, and pay $2,620 in unpaid back rent.

Hernandez then filed a motion asking the court to include his sister’s name in the earlier ruling.

The eviction stems from a longstanding family feud that has pitted the father and two daughters against the son, seven other daughters and Gallardo’s ex-wife.

Hernandez has declined to comment on the dispute.

In court Friday, through his attorney, Hernandez offered to let his father live with him, an offer repeated by two other daughters who side with their brother.

But Lucille Gallardo, who appeared without legal counsel, asked the judge to allow her to remain in the house that has been home for her and her father for 10 years.

“I’ve cared for my father for 10 years. I was the one who was caring for him all these years,” she said.

Stanford said he understood this case involves “family problems” but his ruling was based on legal facts.

“The thing is that this is a family matter, and I’m not inclined to get involved with family matters,” the judge said.