Knight Enterprises v. Beard
Michigan Court of Appeals
2004 WL 60323 (2004)

- Written by Sean Carroll, JD
Facts
Knight Enterprises (plaintiff) sold gasoline wholesale to gas stations. Some of Knight’s gas-station customers contacted M & L Petroleum, Inc. (M & L) (defendant), a competing wholesaler. M & L’s prices were lower than Knight’s. Knight acknowledged at trial that M & L did not solicit the customers’ business but rather the customers reached out to M & L unsolicited. At the customers’ requests, M & L began supplying the customers’ gas. Knight sued M & L and its president, Mark Beard (defendant) for tortious interference with a contractual relationship. The jury returned a verdict for Knight, but the trial court granted M & L’s motion for a directed verdict. Knight appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Per curiam)
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