Jury Awards $13.2 Million in Damages in Case against Layton Construction

Jury Awards $13.2 Million in Damages in Case against Layton Construction

Today, a jury in Third District Court issued a verdict after hearing evidence during a five-week trial. Maralyn M. English and D. Jason Hawkins of Snow, Christensen & Martineau represented SIRQ, Inc. and Alan J. Peterson in the case that had been pending more than five (5) years. Layton Companies and Layton Construction alleged that Mr. Peterson had breached a Shareholders’ Agreement and interfered with Layton’s contractual relations by hiring a few of Layton’s at-will employees over a two and one-half (2.5) year period. The jury did not find in favor of Layton on any of the claims. SIRQ and Mr. Peterson alleged that Layton had interfered with their existing and prospective economic relations, defamed them, and placed them in a false light. SIRQ was awarded $12.2 million in damages, which includes $5 million in punitive damages. In addition, Mr. Peterson was awarded $1 million on the false light claim. The jury also held that Layton Companies had breached the covenant of good faith and fair dealing in the Shareholders Agreement that Mr. Peterson had entered into when he was an officer and director of Layton Construction. The court had previously ruled that Layton Companies had defaulted on making more than $400,000 in payments owed to Alan J. Peterson on a Promissory Note.

Third District Court – Case Numbers 070908853 and 070912813

The Layton Companies, Inc. and Layton Construction Co., Inc. v. Alan J. Peterson and SIRQ, Inc.; also SIRQ, Inc. and Alan J. Peterson v. Layton Construction Co., Inc. and The Layton Companies, Inc.