Jurimatic: Verdicts and Settlements

In a heated Coral Gables property dispute, the Knights of Columbus Council No. 3274 sued longtime event manager Fetes & Events, Inc. over control of a historic community hall at 270 Catalonia Avenue. The Knights accused Fetes of breaching fiduciary duties, trespassing, and disrupting charitable events vital to their mission, including allegations of sabotage and unauthorized surveillance. Fetes countered that the Knights had accepted its practices for years and only objected after benefiting from the arrangement. After hearing conflicting accounts, a Miami-Dade jury on April 29, 2025, sided entirely with Fetes & Events. The verdict cleared Fetes of all claims, leaving the Knights without damages or control changes. The case underscores the importance of clear management agreements and consistent oversight in long-term business relationships.

In a landmark labor trafficking and wage theft case, Guatemalan farmworkers sued Purpose Point Harvesting LLC and its owners in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. The workers said they were lured under the H-2A visa program with false promises, forced to pay illegal fees, had their passports taken, and endured 20-hour days for unfair wages. After a detailed trial, a federal jury on June 6, 2025, found Purpose Point and Emilto “Milton” Moreno Gomez liable under federal and Michigan trafficking laws, wage statutes, and contract terms. Co-owner Lucille Moreno was cleared of trafficking but found liable for some wage and contract violations. Jurors awarded compensatory and punitive damages totaling hundreds of thousands, rejecting the company’s counterclaims. The verdict reinforces protections for migrant laborers and underscores penalties for abusive employment practices.

UnitedLayer, LLC, a colocation services provider, sued the City and County of San Francisco for over $2 million in unpaid invoices, fees, and interest under their Master Agreement. The city disputed the charges, citing audit rights, contract conditions, and procedural defenses. After nearly two and a half years of litigation, the parties reached a conditional settlement in January 2025 for $850,000, vacating scheduled hearings and trial dates. The dismissal deadline was set for July 1, 2025, formally ending the dispute.

Plaintiff Cedric Taite brought a negligence action after a December 2019 freeway collision in South El Monte. He alleged Defendants Omar Penaloza, J.J. Associates Inc., and J.J. Kane Associates Inc. operated and entrusted a vehicle negligently, causing serious injuries and financial losses. Defendants denied liability and raised multiple defenses, including comparative negligence and assumption of risk. The case settled unconditionally on April 25, 2025, for $3,000,000, avoiding a scheduled May 27, 2025 trial in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Residents and property owners across Oregon secured a major win against PacifiCorp, operating as Pacific Power, after claiming the utility’s negligence fueled the devastating Labor Day 2020 wildfires. Plaintiffs said PacifiCorp ignored National Weather Service warnings and industry safety practices by keeping power lines energized during extreme winds and dry conditions. Fires like Santiam Canyon, Echo Mountain Complex, and South Obenchain scorched homes, businesses, and forests, displacing thousands. PacifiCorp denied wrongdoing, citing unprecedented weather and safety concerns over power shutoffs. On May 21, 2025, a Multnomah County jury awarded over $50 million in compensatory damages and confirmed PacifiCorp’s liability, marking another significant phase in the ongoing class action trial.

In a contested business sale, Norman An and Red Nat Inc. sued Lisa Fang and Red Ling Inc. over the failed transfer of Club Sense, a Sunnyvale karaoke bar and its ABC liquor license. An said he paid $160,000 toward a $200,000 deal but was left without control of the bar when Fang allegedly refused to sign escrow documents. Fang denied wrongdoing and cited unfulfilled conditions. After a trial in Santa Clara County Superior Court, jurors on August 27, 2025, ruled for An on breach of contract, finding he had met his obligations and was harmed by Fang’s refusal. They cleared Fang on intentional misrepresentation and false promise, rejecting fraud-based claims but confirming liability for the failed contract.

In a major antitrust battle over cardiac catheter markets, Innovative Health LLC sued Biosense Webster, Inc. for monopolization, attempted monopolization, and unlawful tying under the Sherman Act and California’s Cartwright Act. The case centered on Biosense’s CARTO 3 cardiac mapping system and its high-density mapping and ultrasound catheters. Innovative alleged Biosense tied clinical support to catheter purchases, blocked reprocessed competitors, and restricted hospital choices. On May 16, 2025, a California jury sided with Innovative on four counts, awarding $147,406,481 in damages, which are trebled by law to $442,219,443. The verdict underscores strict enforcement of antitrust rules in medical device markets and highlights the risks of exclusionary practices.

Meir Blum sued the City of Los Angeles after tripping on a raised sidewalk near 9500 Cashio Street. He alleged negligence and a dangerous public property condition under Government Code §835. The City denied liability, citing Plaintiff’s comparative negligence, third-party fault, statutory immunities, and the Tort Claims Act. To avoid trial, the parties reached a $200,000 settlement, resolving all claims and dismissing the case with prejudice.

A Miami-Dade jury awarded Danielle M. Tirado $906,100.98 for injuries sustained when Publix employee Benedicto R. Alvarez’s truck caused falling branches to strike a motorcycle on which she was riding. The jury found Publix and Alvarez 35% at fault, with the remainder assigned to Miami-Dade County. Publix later satisfied its share of the judgment, closing a high-stakes negligence and vicarious liability case.

In March 2022, Arin Phillips visited the Costco-Kendall store in Miami-Dade County, Florida, for routine shopping. While walking through an aisle filled with household goods, her foot slipped on a wet spot on the floor. There were no cones, warning signs, or employees nearby to alert customers about the hazard. She fell hard, landing on her right hip and shoulder. Other shoppers hurried to help as store workers called for medical assistance. Paramedics arrived within minutes and transported Phillips to a nearby hospital, where doctors diagnosed a fractured hip and shoulder injuries.Phillips later said that her life changed after the fall. The accident disrupted her daily routine, work, and physical well-being. What had begun as a normal afternoon of shopping turned into months of medical care and rehabilitation.Phillips claimed Costco was negligent in maintaining safe conditions for shoppers. She argued that employees failed to inspect the area or clean up the spill in

This case was filed in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County, Florida, and dealt with insurance contract law.  The Plaintiffs, Arthur T. Somano and Enriqueta Somano, sued People's Trust Insurance Company, alleging breach of a homeowner's insurance contract and related obligations.  The key legal issue was the Defendant's rejection and failure to appropriately cover losses resulting from a qualified property damage occurrence under an active insurance policy.The Plaintiffs owned residential property located at 16083 SW 63rd Terrace in Miami, Florida, which had been insured under a homeowner’s policy issued by People's Trust Insurance Company. On or about November 8, 2020, the property had sustained significant damage due to a covered peril. The Somano Plaintiffs had reported the loss to the insurance company on September 22, 2021. Upon notification, the insurer had initiated an investigation of the clai

The case arose from a collision between a bicyclist and a motorist on July 7, 2021, in Essex, Connecticut. Mark C. Diebolt, a competitive triathlete and official member of Team USA, had been riding his bicycle north on Route 154, approaching the intersection with South Cove Lane. The road descended sharply toward the intersection. South Cove Lane, connected to Route 154 from the east.As Diebolt approached the intersection, a GMC Yukon Denali driven by Keith B. Neilson moved forward from South Cove Lane into the roadway. Neilson had been looking to his right to check traffic, advancing past vegetation that obscured his view. Diebolt saw the SUV enter his path and braked hard, but he collided with the vehicle’s driver-side front corner. The force threw him over the handlebars, onto the windshield, and then to the pavement.Diebolt claimed the crash happened because Neilson had failed to yield the right of way and had moved into the main road without ensuring it was safe.