Finnegan, et al. v. VBenx Corporation, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 09-049-17)
1 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SUFFOLK, ss. SUPERIOR COURT SUCV2009-03772-BLS1 J. BRENT FINNEGAN, and others Plaintiffs vs. VBENX CORPORATION, and others Defendants VBENX CORPORATION, and others Plaintiffs-in–Counterclaim vs. J. BRENT FINNEGAN, and others Defendants-in-Counterclaim INTERIM ORDER ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR AN AWARD OF FEES AND COSTS UNDER G.L. c. 231, §6F Still pending in this action is the G.L. c. 231, § 6F motion brought by the defendants VBenx Corporation, Richard Baker, Peter Marcia, Walter Smith and D. Michael Sherman (collectively, VBenx)1 in which they seek an award of reasonable counsel fees and other costs incurred in defending the claims asserted against them by the plaintiffs J. Brent Finnegan, Kenneth F. Phillips, Karen W. Finnegan and Back Bay Ventures, LLC (collectively, Finnegan 1 The Court recognizes that VBenx is not actually a party to either the § 6F motion or the counterclaim for malicious prosecution as it was not a defendant in the claims prosecuted by Finnegan et al. However, the Court believes this is a convenient way to collectively refer to the defendants/plaintiffs-in-counterclaim. 2 and the Finnegan claims). An abbreviated review of the prolix proceedings in this eight year litigation (there are 291 docket entries) is necessary to place this motion in context. BACKGROUND Finnegan filed his claims on September 4, 2009; VBenx filed its counterclaims on October 28, 2009. After much pretrial sparring, the Finnegan claims were severed from VBenx’ counterclaims and proceeded to trial, without a jury, on April 25, 2011 (Lauriat, J. presiding). The case was tried over twenty-five days, concluding on June 5, 2011. 819 exhibits were entered in evidence (6.5 feet of paper according to Judge Lauriat’s Memorandum of Decision). On October 19, 2012, the Court issued extensive Findings of Fact and Rulings of Law finding in favor of VBenx with respect to all claims asserted against it. After further motions and hearings, on March 26, 2013, the Court entered a Separate and Final Judgment based upon its Findings and Rulings which dismissed all of the Finnegan claims. On May 3, 2013, Finnegan appealed; the Superior Court’s Judgment was affirmed by the Appeals Court on August 14, 2015. See Finnegan v. Baker, 88 Mass. App. Ct. 35 (2015). In the meantime, the parties commenced litigation of VBenx’ counterclaims. Of relevance to the motion now before the court, on May 6, 2013 the parties filed a Rule 9A package including both Finnegan’s motion to dismiss the counterclaims and VBenx’ cross-motion for an award fees and costs under §6F based on the outcome of the jury-waived trial.2 It 2 It is notable that this § 6F cross-motion is based on orders entered following the trial of the Finnegan claims, the entry of a Separate and Final Judgment […]