Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Follo v. Florindo Case Brief

Supreme Court of Vermont2009Docket #206576
2009 VT 11 970 A.2d 1230 185 Vt. 390 2009 Vt. LEXIS 3

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: Sellers of a bed and breakfast misrepresented its revenues to a buyer. The court upheld the fraud verdict and clarified that a finding of actual fraud inherently contains the malice required to allow a jury to consider punitive damages.

Legal Significance: This case establishes that a finding of actual common-law fraud is, by itself, a sufficient basis to submit the issue of punitive damages to a jury, as the requisite malice is inherent in the tort itself.

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Defendants Paul Florindo and Susan Morency sold their bed and breakfast business, consisting of an Inn and an adjacent Cottage, to plaintiff Carl Follo for $1,245,000. During negotiations, defendants provided plaintiff with financial documents, including profit-and-loss statements and tax returns, that represented the Inn’s annual gross revenues to be over $226,000 in 2001 and $250,000 in 2002. Plaintiff relied on these figures in making his purchase decision. After the sale, plaintiff discovered the Inn’s actual revenues were substantially lower; bank deposits and official tax filings showed total sales of approximately $88,000 in 2001 and under $150,000 in 2002. Evidence at trial showed Florindo, who handled the finances, provided the inflated numbers to the real estate agent and was evasive when questioned about the discrepancies. Morency, the majority owner and president/treasurer, claimed ignorance of the finances but had signed the official tax returns, attesting to their accuracy. Her handwriting was also on guest records that contained inconsistencies. The jury found both defendants liable for common-law fraud and consumer fraud, awarding $645,000 in damages, which the trial court reduced to $295,000 via remittitur. The trial court had granted defendants’ motion to exclude punitive damages as a matter of law.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does a jury finding of liability for actual common-law fraud provide a sufficient basis to require submitting the issue of punitive damages to the jury?

Yes. A finding of actual common-law fraud inherently possesses the malice and Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo

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Legal Issue

Does a jury finding of liability for actual common-law fraud provide a sufficient basis to require submitting the issue of punitive damages to the jury?

Conclusion

This case solidifies the principle in Vermont that a verdict for actual Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse ci

Legal Rule

Actual fraud is accomplished with an evil intent, and if a jury Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt

Legal Analysis

The court first affirmed the jury's verdict on common-law fraud against both Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt moll

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