Swamp Capital v. Shaw CA2/5

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendants James Shaw and Arts District Patients’ Collective, Inc., (ADPC) appeal from a judgment upon jury verdicts on multiple causes of action in favor of plaintiffs.1 They contend that there was insufficient evidence to support the verdicts and that the trial court erred in failing to grant a new trial based on flaws in the verdict forms. We affirm.

II. BACKGROUND

A. The Parties

1. James Shaw and ADPC

In the early 2000s, Shaw began cultivating cannabis. In approximately 2005, he started ADPC,2 a cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles. ADPC held a registration certificate that allowed it

1 In October 2020, this court granted the motion of Swamp Capital, LLC, the assignee of the judgment which is the subject of the appeals, to substitute in as the respondent in place of plaintiffs Sergio Tellez, dba Specialized Development, Polo Capital and Consulting, LLC, Polo Capital and Consulting, LP, and California Institute of Cannabis, Inc.

2 ADPC is a California nonprofit mutual benefit corporation. Shaw operated ADPC under the dba “Arts District Healing Center.” Shaw also operated another nonprofit mutual benefit corporation named “Arts District Unity…