Breach of Contract – Sanctions

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WI Court of Appeals – District IV

Case Name: Peter Briggs et al v. Roger Romanski, et al

Case No.: 2015AP2262

Officials: Kloppenburg, Lundsten, Sherman

Focus: Breach of Contract – Sanctions

Peter Briggs and Briggs Properties, II, LLC brought breach of contract and misrepresentation claims against Roger Romanski and Daaran Realty, Inc., concerning the alleged failure to disclose certain conditions affecting property sold to the Briggs plaintiffs.1 The circuit court dismissed the Briggs plaintiffs’ claims on summary judgment, denied their motion for reconsideration, and ordered Peter Briggs and his trial counsel to pay $2,000 in sanctions to the Romanski defendants’ trial counsel for failure to determine the proper parties. Briggs Properties appeals the dismissal of its claims on summary judgment, and Briggs and his trial counsel appeal the sanctions order. We conclude that the Romanski defendants have failed to demonstrate that they are entitled to summary judgment dismissing Briggs Properties’ claims, and that the circuit court properly exercised its discretion in imposing sanctions. Therefore, we affirm the sanctions order and reverse the summary judgment order.

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.