Georgia Jury Awards $58 Million to Professor in Malicious Arrest Case Against Medical Adhesive Firm
A Georgia jury has delivered a landmark verdict, ordering a medical adhesive company and three of its top executives to pay a staggering $58 million to a Stanford professor. The jury found they conspired to have him wrongfully arrested during a protracted and bitter business dispute.
Unanimous Verdict Against Company and Executives
Jurors in Fulton County found Chemence and its executives—Hugh Cooke (president and CEO), Peter Battisti (vice president of business development), and Robert Wilson (CFO, secretary, and general counsel)—liable on all counts. These included malicious arrest, civil conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The panel concluded the defendants acted in bad faith and with a clear intent to harm Dr James Quinn. Dr Quinn is a pioneer in medical adhesive technology who had previously worked as a consultant for the company.
Breakdown of the $58 Million Award
The verdict, delivered after a two-week trial concluding on April 8, awarded Dr Quinn $12 million in compensatory damages, $41 million in punitive damages, and an additional $5 million in attorneys’ fees. This substantial award underscores the severity of the jury's findings.
The Dramatic 2014 Arrest at the Heart of the Case
Central to the case was a dramatic incident in 2014. Dr Quinn was arrested during a deposition at the company’s headquarters in Alpharetta. Forsyth County deputies took him into custody on charges of theft and computer trespass, booking him into jail before he was released on bond just hours later.
The arrest stemmed from allegations that Quinn had improperly forwarded 41 emails containing company information to his personal account. Quinn steadfastly maintained he had permission to send the emails and did so on the advice of his lawyers to preserve evidence for an ongoing court case.
Criminal Case Dropped, Civil Battle Ensued
The criminal case against him was dropped the following year for lack of evidence. By that point, Quinn and the company were already locked in a bitter legal battle spanning years.
The dispute dates back to Quinn’s time as a consultant for Chemence from 2004 to 2011, during which he helped develop medical adhesive products. Their relationship later deteriorated over claims that Quinn had not been properly paid commissions tied to those products, prompting the company to sue him in federal court in 2011.
Quinn ultimately prevailed in that earlier case, with a federal jury awarding him $8.6 million and finding he had not misappropriated any trade secrets.
New Lawsuit Alleging Orchestrated Arrest
Following that victory, Quinn filed a new lawsuit in 2016. He accused the company and its executives of providing false and misleading information to law enforcement to engineer his arrest. He argued the ordeal caused severe emotional distress, damaged his reputation, and restricted his ability to travel and visit family.
Attorneys for Chemence denied any wrongdoing. They argued Quinn did not have authorization to forward the emails, which they claimed contained proprietary formulas and confidential information. They also maintained that investigators had probable cause to pursue the charges.
Jury Sides Fully with the Professor
Jurors ultimately rejected the company's arguments, siding fully with Quinn and finding the defendants liable for their role in his arrest. Quinn’s attorney, Steve Lowry, stated the verdict could rank among the largest malicious arrest awards in Georgia's history.
‘He’s extremely thankful. He feels vindicated,’ Lowry told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, adding that Quinn ‘knows he never did anything wrong.’
A Legal Fight Spanning 15 Years
The legal fight between the two sides has spanned roughly 15 years. Two additional lawyers who were originally named in the lawsuit settled claims against them before the case went to trial. Following the verdict, Chemence did not respond to requests for comment, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
