Current Cases
Half-Million Dollar Judgment Won in Suit against Former Partner and Officer
Sesha Kalapatapu and Krista R. Fuller obtained a judgment of almost $500,000 against a former limited partner and officer for his breach of the partnership agreement and fiduciary duties. In this complex commercial suit filed in January of 2008, Empty Eye, Inc., Empty Eye & Associates, L.P. and Judith Lyn Daniels alleged breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and business disparagement against Jiles Daniels, President of Empty Eye, Inc. and limited partner of Empty Eye and Associates. This case proceeded to trial in October of 2009 on the contract and fiduciary duty claims, and our clients wholly prevailed on both causes of action. Mr. Daniels was found to have breached the limited partnership agreement with his fellow partners, and also to have breached his fiduciary duties to the corporation of which he was President. On December 4, 2009, Judge Weiman in the 80th District Court of Harris County, Texas entered a judgment awarding our clients actual damages in the amount of $334,935.77, attorneys’ fees in the amount of $160,837.14, pre- and post-judgment interest, and costs of court.
Commercial Real Estate Breach Of Contract And Fraud: $1.35 Million Judgment
In July, 2009, Dawn Meade and Gregory Finney won a two week long trial in a case styled The Peterson Group, Inc. , et al. vs. PLTQ Lotus Group, LP, et al. Ms. Meade and Mr. Finney represented the defendant, PLTQ Lotus Group, LP in the case, which was tried to jury verdict in the 152nd Judicial District Court, Harris County, Texas. The Peterson plaintiffs sued PLTQ Lotus Group, L.P. for breach of contract associated with the purchase of one piece of commercial property and the construction of a shopping center on another piece of commercial property. PLTQ Lotus Group, LP filed a counter-claim, accusing the Peterson plaintiffs of breach of contract and fraud. Peterson sought damages of nearly $2 million and attorney fees of over $800,000.00.
After deliberating for approximately three hours, the jury found against Peterson on all of its claims and for PLTQ Lotus Group, LP on its claims of breach of contract and fraud. The jury further awarded PLTQ Lotus Group, LP damages. The total judgment entered by the Court for PLTQ Lotus Group, LP was $1,351,636.80, which included a $635,000.00 award for attorney fees.
The Peterson plaintiffs were represented by the 550 man international corporate law firm of Haynes & Boone, LLP. Ms. Meade and Mr. Finney did a fine job defending against “...the top corporate law firm based in Dallas-Fort Worth...ranked among the 50 best corporate law firms in the country by Fortune 1000 corporate counsel...” 1 Meade and Finney (1) defeated the $2.8 million claim, (2) won a judgment of $1.3 million, and (3) billed $165,000.00 less than Haynes & Boone for the work.
