In Raeker v. Shade Tree Construction, Inc., et al., the homeowners sued two general contractors and the companies’ mutual owner for claims of construction defects, alleging $200,000 in damages. Discovery and investigation revealed that only one general contractor, Shade Tree Construction, Inc., was involved in the construction of the home, but that plaintiffs were holding a personal grudge against the owner.

Attorneys Deborah Eckland and Chris Bentley originally represented only MarQuest Homes, LLC in this matter, but joined forces with co-counsel for Shade Tree after plaintiffs refused to drop suit against MarQuest Homes and the mutual owner, Mark Strandlund, despite the complete lack of evidence against either. Instead of letting emotion get in the way, attorneys Eckland and Bentley set out to find and bring in the responsible subcontractors. By remaining solution-oriented, this case was settled on acceptable terms, and a nasty, drawn-out, and ultimately pointless, personal dispute was avoided.