Johnston Equities Associates, LP v. Town of Johnston
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The Supreme Court affirmed in part and vacated in part the judgment of the superior court in favor of Plaintiffs, Johnston Equities Associates, LP and Stay Away From the Cans, LLC on their trespass claim against Defendants, the Town of Johnston and its officials, for allowing sewage from the Town's sewer pipelines to be discharged into JEA's private sewer pipeline, holding that the trial justice erred in part.
The jury awarded Plaintiffs $1.2 million in their favor, but the trial justice ruled that the statutory cap of $100,000 under R.I. Gen. Laws 9-31-3 was applicable because Plaintiffs' claim constituted a governmental function. The Supreme Court reversed in part, holding that the trial justice (1) properly denied the Town's motions for judgment as a matter of law; (2) did not err in not applying the public duty doctrine; but (3) erred in applying the statutory cap on damages and in denying prejudgment interest.
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