Shane

BACKGROUND

I Factual Background George and his son Gary formed a partnership called Rumiano Farms in 1979. The partnership engaged in farming and conducted its business on three properties—a ranch in Vina, California (the Vina ranch) and a ranch and an office building in Willows, California (the Willows properties). In 1993, George’s two other sons, Keith and Kraig, joined the partnership, and the four partners then entered into a partnership agreement. For the next 13 years, it appears, the partners operated the partnership without controversy. But in late 2006, the partners’ relationship began to deteriorate, though each of the parties offers a different gloss on the relevant events. According to Kathleen’s testimony, she and George decided to form a corporation for Rumiano Farms after consulting with an attorney in December 2006. But the brothers rejected the idea and later blocked George from using partnership funds to pay for the attorney’s services. The brothers then, Kathleen stated, moved forward with a “plan[] . . . to kick George out” of the partnership. They first entered the Willows properties at night and “stole” partnership records from the office. They then, in…