Empire Parking Services Inc. has agreed to a $4.5 million class action settlement over allegations that it unlawfully booted vehicles at certain private parking lots in and around metro Atlanta. The case focuses on booting incidents in the cities of Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Decatur and in Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton counties between Feb. 3, 2012, and Dec. 12, 2018, where drivers say they paid fees to have boots removed. Under the proposed settlement, eligible vehicle owners or drivers who personally paid the boot-removal charge for a boot placed at a “noncompliant” lot may claim up to $30 per incident (with the final amount depending on how many valid claims are submitted), reflecting how small, repeated fees can add up across years and thousands of motorists. The lawsuits were filed because plaintiffs contend EPS’s booting practices failed to meet local legal requirements—rules that typically govern when booting is allowed, what warning signs must be posted, and what procedures and disclosures must be provided before a vehicle can be immobilized and a fee demanded. That regulatory framework matters because vehicle booting creates immediate leverage over drivers, who often feel they have no practical choice but to pay on the spot; the settlement’s significance is less about fully reimbursing each person and more about imposing financial consequences and encouraging compliance in an industry where enforcement can be inconsistent. Similar class actions around the country have targeted private parking operators and towing/booting contractors for inadequate signage, improper authorization, or unlawful fee practices, and this case fits that broader pattern of using consumer litigation—alongside municipal ordinances and permitting requirements—to police high-pressure enforcement tactics in private parking lots.