Cirrus Post-Trial Motions Denied By Hennepin County Judge

While it comes as no surpise to those of us that have had to deal with Cirrus Aircraft's negative tactics and behaviors, a judge in Hennepin County, MN last month dismissed post-trial motions filed by Cirrus Industries following a jury verdict that awarded $10 million to Alan Klapmeier in March. The actual judgment was posted this week by the court.

Writing on the "Minnesota Litigator" blog from the law firm of Leventhal pllc., attorney Seth Leventhal writes that Judge Marilyn B. Rosenbaum turned back all of Cirrus' post-trial motions in which the company tried to reverse or reduce the verdict.

Klapmeier had sued his former company, which he co-founded with his brother Dale, for breach of an agreement not to “voluntarily make any statement, comment, or communication that would to a reasonable person, constitute disparagement of any of the other Parties or or that would be considered to be derogatory or detrimental to the good name or business reputation of the other Parties.” The jury found that Cirrus had breached that agreement, and that Alan Klapmeier had been harmed by their actions. Judge Rosenbaum wrote that "sufficient evidence was presented to allow the jury to weigh conflicting testimony, to assess credibility, to conclude there was a breach, to find causation, and to calculate and award damages."

Alan Klapmeier, as you probably know, is now the president and CEO of Kestrel Aircraft. Seth Leventhal says in the blog post that he was part of Alan Klapmeier's victorious legal team.

ANN has been investigating this case, and a number of others, in our continuing series exposing serious problems at Cirrus Aircraft and will post a number of updates shortly.

FMI: Rosenbaum Denial