“The simple and straightforward facts relevant to the breach-of-contract claim are (1) that there was a binding contract between the parties; (2) that the contract included a provision that expressly precluded the Rigsbys from sharing Renfroe's confidential materials with outsiders; and (3) that the Rigsbys, as Renfroe's employees, flagrantly violated the agreement by stealing and sharing confidential documents,” wrote Judge Acker, in his 10-page memorandum opinion.

Later, Acker continued by writing, “Whether Renfroe can recover from the Rigsbys their ill-gotten gains in the form of the substantial consulting fees received from [Richard] Scruggs need not be determined today. At this juncture, the only question is, 'Was there a breach of contract that potentially caused Renfroe compensable damage?' The answer to this question is 'Yes,' meaning that Renfroe is entitled to summary judgment on the simple question of liability by the Rigsbys for breach of contract.”

The summary judgment means the sisters will face a trial with the sole purpose of determining damages. The trial has been scheduled for Jan. 9, 2009.

Additionally, in a minor defeat for Renfroe, Judge Acker ruled against summary judgment in the second part of the motion, which accused the sisters of violating the Alabama Trade Secrets Act. Although redundant to the breach-of-contract claim, a favorable ruling would have made it possible for Renfroe to recover not only actual damages but disgorgement, attorneys' fees, and exemplary damages if the violation was deemed willful and malicious.

To read Judge Acker's entire opinion click here, provided courtesy of blog site Y'all Politics.

Interested in more legal news and in-depth articles? Head over to Claims' legal channel for more information.