At least when tried in federal court, a claim for actual and statutory damages under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Civ. Code 52(a) is an action at law in which the parties have a right to a jury trial under the 7th Amendment. The most analogous claim when the constitution was adopted and in pre-merger of law and equity decisions in the United States was for violation of the English public accommodations law under which certain businesses, like hotels, were required to serve all customers. Violations of that law were tried to a jury in common law courts. Also, the remedies plaintiff sought, compensatory and statutory damages (the latter being at least partially for punishment and deterrence) were awardable only in English law courts, not equity.