One thing to consider before defending your rights in court, is that it's going to be public record forever. The cost and the chance of losing might not even be

One thing to consider before defending your rights in court, is that it's going to be public record forever. The cost and the chance of losing might not even be your biggest concerns. I don't know how many employers check that sort of thing, but I know that if you sue your landlord in NYC, no matter how justified, once it shows up in public records nobody will rent to you. I know this because I ran across court documents where the court matter-of-factly acknowledged it. This sort of thing is why I think frivolous lawsuits are greatly exaggerated.