posted September 17, 2008
Two auto dealers who merged their operations are now in a dispute that ended up in court.
Nelson Long filed suit against John Trotter in Chancery Court on allegations involving Trotter-Long Pontiac and Trotter-Long Collision.
There had been a merger in early 2006 of the former Trotter Buick and Long Pontiac and Long Hyundai.
The lawsuit says Mr. Long was to focus on the auto dealership and Mr. Trotter on the body shop.
Mr. Long obtained 56.99 percent of the firm and Mr. Trotter 35 percent.
It says Mr. Trotter agreed to contribute $190,050 to the business.
The suit said each member was to participate in the annual profits or losses. It says since the business was started, it has operated at a loss. It says Mr. Long has put in more than his required share to cover the losses and Mr. Trotter "has evaded financial responsibility for any portion of the losses."
The complaint, filed by attorneys Travis McDonough and Zachary Greene, claims that Mr. Trotter has refused to communicate with Mr. Long for several months.
It says that, instead of working to build up the body shop, he has "instead worked to frustrate its operations."
The suit says on April 8 that Trotter Properties filed a detainer action against Long Pontiac seeking a writ of possession for the truck shop portion of the dealership.
It says Mr. Trotter on April 29 locked the door to the parts department and left the premises, leaving the body shop unable to get to needed equipment.
It claims that because of the actions of Mr. Trotter that the body shop was unable to be certified by State Farm Insurance as one of its approved shops.
The suit says last Friday Mr. Trotter entered the body shop and removed its air conditioning machine. He later shut off power to the body shop's air compressor, the complaint says.
The suit asks that Mr. Trotter be restrained from interfering with the body shop operation and that he pay compensatory damages.
A hearing is set Sept. 30 at 1:30 p.m. before Chancellor Howell Peoples.
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