Monday, June 08, 2009

Doppes v. Bentley Motors, Inc. (Cal. Ct. App. - June 8, 2009)

Oh, the trials and tribulations of wealthy residents of Orange County. For example, that my new Bentley simply does not smell correctly. I'll take a quarter million for that, thank you very much.

Admittedly, if I dropped a boatload of cash on a Bentley, I'd want it to smell pretty darn good as well. Like freaking lilacs all the time. But perhaps I ask too much.

Anyway, the Court of Appeal holds that you can get prejudgment interest in addition to getting back your cash for the Bentley. Chalk one up for another satisfied O.C. customer.

P.S. - There's a companion case today that has more of the facts, as well as an interesting discussion about why the trial court should have granted terminating sanctions against the defendant (!). Check it out. Not exactly the kind of publicity that Bentley Motors would prefer, I'm sure.

P.P.S. - I randomly stumbled on the fact that the plaintiff in this case, August B. Doppes, owns a patent for a telephone-shaped air freshener. Given the context of this litigation, pretty ironic, eh?