Gilbert MH LLC v. Gilbert Family Hospital LLC

CourtDistrict Court, D. Arizona
DecidedOctober 1, 2021
Docket2:18-cv-04046
StatusUnknown

This text of Gilbert MH LLC v. Gilbert Family Hospital LLC (Gilbert MH LLC v. Gilbert Family Hospital LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gilbert MH LLC v. Gilbert Family Hospital LLC, (D. Ariz. 2021).

Opinion

1 WO 2 3 4 5 6 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 8

Gilbert MH LLC, ) No. CV-18-04046-PHX-SPL ) 9 ) 10 Plaintiff, ) FINDINGS OF FACT AND vs. ) C ONCLUSIONS OF LAW 11 ) ) Gilbert Family Hospital LLC, et al., ) 12 ) 13 Defendants. ) ) 14 ) 15 Plaintiff filed this action on November 13, 2018, asserting claims for (1) breach of 16 personal guaranty against Defendant Justin Hohl, (2) breach of personal guaranty against 17 Defendants Henry and Karen Higgins, (3) fraudulent misrepresentation against Defendant 18 Higgins, (4) breach of lease agreement against Defendant Gilbert Family, and (5) bad faith 19 against all Defendants. (Doc. 1 at ¶¶70–105). Plaintiff seeks general, special, 20 consequential, and punitive damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs as provided in 21 the “relevant contracts and as provided by law.” (Doc. 1 at 19). Defendants timely filed an 22 answer on December 18, 2018. (Doc. 13). 23 The Court has jurisdiction over this action under 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Plaintiff and 24 Defendants are citizens of different states, and the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000. 25 (Docs. 1 at ¶8, 61 at 2). 26 This action, having been tried before the Court on September 14, 2021 through 27 September 17, 2021, and the Court having carefully considered the proposed findings of 28 fact and conclusions of law (Docs. 60, 62), the Joint Proposed Pretrial Order (Doc. 61), the 1 testimony received, and the exhibits admitted into evidence, hereby makes the following 2 Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 52(a) and LRCiv 52.1: 3 FINDINGS OF FACT 4 The Parties, the Project, and the Lease Agreement 5 1. Henry and Karen Higgins (collectively the “Higgins”) are a married couple and 6 residents of the state of Texas. (Doc. 1 at 1).1 7 2. Dr. Henry Higgins, an emergency medicine physician, is the owner of Gilbert Family 8 Hospital, LLC (“Gilbert Family”), a Texas limited liability company. (Doc. 61 at 2– 9 3). 10 3. Dr. Justin Hohl, a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah, is a spine surgeon. (Trial Tr. Day 11 3 at 96:19–20). 12 4. Drs. Higgins and Hohl are partners on several different healthcare projects, including 13 Gilbert Family. (Trial Tr. Day 3 at 96:23–97:3). 14 5. Coaction Development Group (“Coaction”) is a limited liability company with 15 experience constructing healthcare projects, including in the Phoenix market. (Trial 16 Tr. Day 2 at 104:23–105:5). 17 6. Gilbert MH, LLC (“Gilbert MH”) is an Arizona limited liability company. (Doc. 1 18 at 1). 19 7. Coaction and Gilbert MH, along with Coaction Architectural Group (“CAG”) and 20 Strategic Healthcare Partners (“SHP”), are all affiliated entities. (Trial Tr. Day 1 at 21 154:5–16). 22 23 24

25 1 Citations to the trial transcripts refer to the transcripts by day. “Day 1” refers to the 26 transcript of the proceedings held September 14, 2021, reflected at Minute Entry 90. “Day 2” refers to the transcript of the proceedings held September 15, 2021, reflected at Minute 27 Entry 91. “Day 3” refers to the transcript of the proceedings held September 16, 2021, reflected at Minute Entry 92. “Day 4” refers to the transcript of the proceedings held 28 September 17, 2021, reflected at Minute Entry 93. 1 8. Glen Adams is the Chief Executive Officer of Coaction, has a membership interest 2 in CAG, and has an ownership interest in SHP. (Doc. 61 at 2; Trial Tr. Day 4 at 3 27:25–28:1). 4 9. Mr. Adams owns an approximate 70% interest in Gilbert MH. (Doc. 61 at 2). 5 10. Shawn Porter is the Chief Financial Officer of Coaction and the manager of Gilbert 6 MH. (Trial Tr. Day 1 at 106:11–13, 23–25). 7 11. Mr. Porter owns an approximate 20% interest in Gilbert MH. (Trial Tr. Day 1 at 8 107:2–4). 9 12. Jared Cox is a civil engineer and the Chief Operations Officer of Coaction. (Trial Tr. 10 Day 2 at 3:15–16, 4:5–6). 11 13. Mr. Cox owns an approximate 10% interest in Gilbert MH. (Trial Tr. Day 2 at 31:1– 12 2). 13 14. Joe Remes is a former employee of both Coaction and SHP. (Ex. 158 at 13:12–16, 14 39:3–8). 15 15. On or about October 9, 2017, Gilbert MH and Gilbert Family entered into a Lease 16 Agreement (the “Lease Agreement”). (Ex. 6). 17 16. The Lease Agreement concerns the construction and lease of a micro-hospital 18 building in Gilbert, Arizona (the “Project”). Gilbert MH is identified as the Landlord 19 in the Lease Agreement, and Gilbert Family is identified as the Tenant. (Ex. 6 at 1). 20 21 17. Mr. Porter executed the Lease Agreement on behalf of Gilbert MH. (Trial Tr. Day 1 22 at 27:22–24). 23 18. Coaction formed Gilbert MH for the purpose of executing the Lease Agreement, and 24 Gilbert MH was relying on Coaction to develop the Project. (Trial Tr. Day 1 at 25 106:17–22). 26 19. Dr. Higgins executed the Lease Agreement on behalf of Gilbert Family. (Doc. 61 at 27 3). 28 1 20. At or around the time of execution of the Lease Agreement, Gilbert Family paid a 2 $150,000 security deposit to Gilbert MH. (Ex. 6 at 4; Trial Tr. Day 2 at 62:15–17). 3 21. Article. 24.1 of the Lease Agreement states that Dr. Higgins had “full power and 4 authority under [Gilbert Family’s] governing documents to execute and deliver this 5 Lease in the name of, and on behalf of [Gilbert Family].” It goes on to state, “[T]his 6 Lease is the legal, valid and binding obligation of such party, and is enforceable 7 against such party in accordance with its terms.” (Doc. 6 at 22). 8 22. The Lease Agreement is a valid contract between Gilbert MH and Gilbert Family. 9 23. Article 40.3 of the Lease Agreement provides that any dispute between the parties 10 concerning the Lease Agreement is to be “governed by and construed in accordance 11 with the laws of the state in which the Premises are located without regard to the 12 conflict of law principles thereof.” (Ex. 6 at 28). The site of the Premises defined in 13 the Lease Agreement is Arizona. (Ex. 6 at GFH000036). 14 24. Article 44.1 of the Lease Agreement is an integration clause that provides that the 15 Lease Agreement “encompasses the entire agreement of the parties” and that “[t]he 16 parties have not relied on any representations or assurances made by or on behalf of 17 the other party. (Ex. 6 at 29–30). 18 25. Article 41.1 of the Lease Agreement (the “Anti-Waiver Clause”) states, “No failure 19 by either party to insist on the strict performance of any covenant, duty or condition 20 21 of this Lease or to exercise any right or remedy on a breach of this Lease by the other 22 party shall constitute a waiver of such covenant, duty, condition or breach. Any 23 waiver shall be in writing and no waiver by either party will imply or constitute its 24 further waiver of the same or any other matter.” (Ex. 6 at 29). 25 26. On or about October 4–5, 2017, the Higgins and Dr. Hohl executed personal 26 Guaranties of Lease. (Trial Tr. Day 3 at 134:9–11, 164:15–17; Ex. 58 at 14:24–15:3). 27 The Guaranties were included in the Lease Agreement as Exhibit F. (Ex. 6 at 28 GFH000054–58). 1 27. The personal Guaranty of Lease executed by the Higgins is a valid contract between 2 Gilbert MH and the Higgins. The personal Guaranty of Lease executed by Dr. Hohl 3 is a valid contract between Gilbert MH and Dr. Hohl. 4 28. The personal Guaranties of Lease provide that the Higgins and Dr. Hohl “absolutely 5 and unconditionally guarantee[ ] the payment and performance of, and agree[ ] to 6 pay and perform as primary obligor[s], all liabilities, obligations, and duties 7 (including but not limited to payment of rent) imposed upon [Gilbert Family] under 8 the terms of the [Lease Agreement].” (Ex. 6 at GFH000054, GFH000057). 9 29.

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Gilbert MH LLC v. Gilbert Family Hospital LLC, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gilbert-mh-llc-v-gilbert-family-hospital-llc-azd-2021.