Evidence – relevance — financial information

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Wisconsin Court of Appeals

Civil

Evidence – relevance — financial information

Stoughton Trailers, LLC, appeals a judgment, entered on a jury verdict, awarding Truck Equipment, Inc. $1,231,988. The jury found that Stoughton improperly terminated a dealership agreement with Truck Equipment, and it rejected Stoughton’s defense that Stoughton’s poor economic circumstances provided good cause for the termination. On appeal, Stoughton argues the circuit court erred by admitting evidence of its parent company’s financial health, which it contends was not relevant to the good cause analysis. However, we conclude that, by relying on a commingled income statement to demonstrate its losses, Stoughton opened the door to the admission of its parent company’s financial information. We therefore affirm. Not recommended for publication in the official reports.

2010AP3123 Truck Equipment Inc. v. Stoughton Trailers Inc.

Dist III, Brown County, Zuidmulder, J., Peterson, J.

Attorneys: For Appellant: Graupner, Charles P., Milwaukee; Burkland, Melissa Helen, Milwaukee; For Respondent: Weber, David H., Green Bay