Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

In June 2016, plaintiffs Cathi Cleven and Tara Cleven, on behalf of a purported class of plaintiffs, filed a complaint against MAA and the Operating Partnership in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. In January 2017, Areli Arellano and Joe L. Martinez joined the lawsuit as additional plaintiffs. The lawsuit alleges that we (but not Post Properties (see the description of the Brown class action lawsuit below)) charged late fees at our Texas properties that violate Section 92.019 of the Texas Property Code, or Section 92.019, which provides that a landlord may not charge a tenant a late fee for failing to pay rent unless, among other things, the fee is a reasonable estimate of uncertain damages to the landlord that are incapable of precise calculation and result from the late payment of rent. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages and attorneys' fees and costs. In September 2018, the District Court certified a class proposed by the plaintiffs. Additionally, in September 2018, the District Court denied our motion for summary judgment and granted the plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment. Because the District Court certified a class prior to granting the plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment, the District Court’s ruling applies to the entire class. In October 2018, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals accepted our petition to review the District Court’s order granting class certification. In September 2019, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard our oral arguments. We intend to appeal the District Court’s order granting plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals if permission to appeal is granted. We will continue to vigorously defend the action and pursue such appeals.

In April 2017, plaintiff Nathaniel Brown, on behalf of a purported class of plaintiffs, filed a complaint against the Operating Partnership, as the successor by merger to Post Properties' primary operating partnership, and MAA in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. The lawsuit alleges that Post Properties (and, following the Post Properties merger in December 2016, the Operating Partnership) charged late fees at its Texas properties that violate Section 92.019. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages and attorneys' fees and costs. In September 2018, the District Court certified a class proposed by the plaintiff. Additionally, in September 2018, the District Court denied our motion for summary judgment and granted the plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment. Because the District Court certified a class prior to granting the plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment, the District Court’s ruling applies to the entire class. In October 2018, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals accepted our petition to review the District Court's order granting class certification. In September 2019, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard our oral arguments. We intend to appeal the District Court’s order granting plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals if permission to appeal is granted. We will continue to vigorously defend the action and pursue such appeals.

In addition, we are subject to various other legal proceedings arising in the course of our business operations. While no assurances can be given, we do not currently believe that any of these other outstanding matters will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows in the event of a negative outcome.