Stanton v. Marques CA2/7

INTRODUCTION

Ryan Stanton, a plastic surgeon, sued his business partner and former romantic partner, Frances Fontane Marques, and her daughter, Pablynie Jamison, for misappropriating money through improper distributions from the company managing Stanton’s medical practice. The matter proceeded to a nine-day jury trial on Stanton’s causes of action for fraud, conversion, breach of the operating agreement, breach of fiduciary duty, constructive fraud, negligent misrepresentation, negligence, obtaining property by false pretenses and larceny under Penal Code section 496, and fraudulent conveyance. After Stanton presented his case-in-chief, the trial court granted Marques’s and Jamison’s motions for nonsuit on the causes of action for fraud, Penal Code section 496, breach of fiduciary duty as to Jamison, constructive fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and negligence. The jury ultimately entered a special verdict in Stanton’s favor against Marques on the remaining causes of action for conversion, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraudulent transfer, and against Jamison for conversion. It awarded Stanton compensatory damages of $1,652,128 against Marques and $50,000…