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30 ¦ JUNE 22, 2020 CONNECTICUT OPINIONS

enterprise failed and both parties sued each court held that it could not devise a new math-
other. Defendant moved for summary judg- ematical equation to determine damages, and
ment, and the court partially granted the that there was no basis to conclude that the
motion. Both parties were equally required jury did not follow the court’s instruction on
to make the capital contributions needed to damages. Therefore, the court denied the de-
give the business a fair chance. Some of de- fendant’s motion.
fendant’s contributions came from forego-
ing money he would have otherwise received
from the dental work he did. In opposition ELECTION AND POLITICAL LAW

of summary judgment, the plaintiff sub- Plaintiff Entitled to Declaratory
mitted calculations from Columbia Dental
of those amounts, showing that defendant Rulings Regarding Rights to Notice and
invested less in the company than plain- Hearing Before Elections Enforcement
tiff. The court noted that there were several Commission
claims in the case where there were genuine
issues of disputed facts. However, the court
did grant summary judgment against plain- CASE: Bradley v. State Elections Enforcement Comm’n
tiff with respect to his claims that Columbia COURT: Hartford J.D. at Hartford
Dental billed the parties’ company for pur- DOC. NO.: CV18-6111420
chases made for its own benefit, and kept or COURT OPINION BY: Noble
failed to collect some patient money. DATE: June 01, 2020 • PAGES: 18

The court granted in part and denied in part
defendant commission’s motion to dismiss,
DAMAGES finding that plaintiff was entitled to declara-
tory rulings as to his rights to notice and a
Court Denied Motion For Remittitur Of hearing on any complaint against him. Plain-
Jury’s Award Of Damages In Tortious tiff formed a committee to run for state of-
Interference Case fice. Plaintiff further certified his intent to
participate in the Citizens Election Program.
The commission granted the committee’s ap-
CASE: LBI, Inc. v. Charles River Analytics, Inc. plication for a primary grant and provided
COURT: New London J.D. at New London plaintiff with those funds. Plaintiff won the
DOC. NO.: CV-12-6018984 Democratic primary. On October 19, 2018,
COURT OPINION BY: Knox less than a month before the general election,
DATE: May 26, 2020 • PAGES: 4 the commission passed a resolution refus-
ing to provide the committee any additional
Plaintiff sued defendant alleging tortious in- monies from the CEP fund due to alleged
terference with business relations, civil con- improper campaign expenditures. Plaintiff ’s
spiracy and violations of the Connecticut
Unfair Trade Practices Act. A jury found in
favor of plaintiff and awarded damages for request for reconsideration was denied. De-
each cause of action. Defendant moved for spite the lack of funding, plaintiff won the
a remittitur of the jury’s verdict, claiming it general election. Plaintiff filed suit, seeking
was excessive. The court denied the motion. a declaratory ruling that he was entitled to
The jury awarded $528,754 on the tortious in- notice and a hearing on any charge of mis-
terference claim and $310,669 on the CUTPA handling of campaign funds. Plaintiff also
claim. Plaintiff presented evidence of its sought a writ of mandamus compelling the
damages, including its tax returns for 2010- commission’s release of the campaign funds
2014, which show a reduction in gross revenue it had withheld. The commission moved to
of $4,420,448. Plaintiff demonstrated that dismiss the complaint. The court granted the
defendant benefitted from its expanded con- motion to dismiss as to the writ of mandamus
tract and offered evidence that a portion of only, finding that plaintiff had an administra-
the value that the defendant benefitted was tive remedy. The court denied the motion as
for work that plaintiff lost due to defendant’s to plaintiff ’s request for declaratory rulings,
interference with its business relations. Plain- finding that the requests could result in prac-
tiff also introduced evidence of quantifiable tical relief to the extent that the court finds
losses such that it had debts for past due rent the commission obligated to provide plaintiff
and past due salary owed to its president. The with a hearing.

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