Fraud and Breach of Contract Claims Dismissed, Affirmed on Appeal

Gentry Locke for the Defense

Fourth Circuit of Appeals

Plaintiffs were two counties that brought a fraudulent inducement and breach of contract lawsuit against a corporation and two individuals. The corporation, which is now defunct, had designed and installed emergency radio systems for the counties. The counties claimed that the company and its representatives had defrauded the them, but they never specified how. Our clients argued that they breached no contract and did not defraud the counties. As a result of the lack of required detail in the counties’ pleadings, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia dismissed all claims against the individuals, as well as the fraudulent inducement claim against the company. On appeal, the Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal in an unpublished, unanimous panel opinion.