Cadd Centers of Florida, Inc. v. Strickland

CADD Centers of Florida, Inc., (""CADD""), sued former employee and shareholder Timothy Strickland (""Strickland"") for specific performance of the parties' Shareholders' Agreement, in an effort to force Strickland to return his 429 shares of CADD stock after he was fired. Strickland filed affirmative defenses and a ten-count counterclaim, in relevant part claiming that CADD breached the parties' separate Employment Agreement when it failed to pay him certain commissions. The case was tried to a jury, which returned a verdict that required Strickland to return his stock to CADD and found that the value of the shares was $258,687. The jury further found that CADD owed Strickland $93,557 in commissions. CADD moved for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, arguing that the evidence did not support the jury's valuation of the stock and the commissions owed Strickland. The final judgment ordered CADD to pay Strickland $5,961.96 plus interest for the commissions, and $214,500 for the stock. CADD appeals. Strickland cross-appeals, arguing that the trial court erred when it granted direct verdicts in favor of CADD on several of his counterclaims, and when it denied his motion for judgment on the pleadings on CADD's specific performance claim.