Trial Victory For Booth LLP's Client

On November 4, 2021, Benjamin Caplan and Madison Romine of BOOTH LLP obtained a 12-0 plaintiff’s verdict following a three-day jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. The trial focused on the enforcement of a promissory note signed by the Defendant as a condition for Plaintiff investing in a musical and television adaptation of a biography written by Defendant about one of his clients -- a famous comedian and talk-show host.  The Defendant asserted that the parties had a separate oral agreement that the Note would not be enforced against him in his individual capacity, and it would only become due if the adaptation was profitable.  The Defendant also asserted, as an alternative defense, that the amounts covered by the Note had been written off in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.

The jury heard testimony from only two witnesses: the Plaintiff and the Defendant, who himself is a longtime attorney. BOOTH LLP presented compelling evidence that based on other contracts, documents, and correspondence between the parties and related to the business venture, the Defendant knew that the Plaintiff would only provide additional funding if the Defendant signed the promissory note individually, so that the Plaintiff would be protected should the business venture fail.  They were also presented with a series of financial transactions in which the Plaintiff gave the Defendant hundreds of thousands of dollars for the furtherance of a new business venture, as well as correspondence between the parties and others involved in the venture.  At the close of the trial, the jury needed less than three hours before it returned a unanimous verdict for $500,000.00 in favor of BOOTH LLP’s client.