What a year it was.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our Attorney and the court for their invaluable support and assistance throughout the entire legal process. We were pleased that she filed and sought to reciprocate the opportunity for us to take legal action against her false claim. Without this, we would not have been able to secure our litter registration, as she openly declared that she would never sign the necessary paperwork. In fact, she initiated the lawsuit, convinced she would succeed in front of the judge, which was an attempt to obstruct us from obtaining our registration.
The court proceedings that took place on June 21, 2023, were highly effective, as the stud owner's attempt to exploit us for additional funds ultimately did not succeed. To this day, Kelly Duella from Dobies by Duella continues to display our name and court documents on her website under the Justice category, which is available online, thus making us a target for public scrutiny and perpetuating false allegations against us.
Our legal representative has formally requested the immediate removal of any defamatory content and false accusations from Kelly Duella's website and social media platforms. It is crucial to recognize that failure to comply with this request may result in a slander lawsuit with serious consequences, as explicitly stated by the magistrate during the court proceedings. This request is grounded as this case is closed and the fact that we have never engaged in any fraudulent activities, rendering her negative comments baseless. It is important to highlight that she has only shared information that aligns with her perception of victory.
This ongoing defamation is unfounded and unjust. It is imperative to handle these situations cautiously and respond appropriately to safeguard our legal rights, particularly after she signed the legal court document a legal court document that acknowledged the satisfactory judgment.
acknowledging her satisfaction on 8/19/23.
Firstly, The Plaintiff, Kelly Duella, was directed to sign the AKC paperwork for our litter registrations in accordance with the court order, after which our attorney would issue a bank cashier's check. The statements on her website do not align with the truth. We already had the funds for the stud fee in our attorney's escrow account. An escrow cashier's check was issued and mailed to her directly from our attorney after she signed our litter of Registration. Our attorney characterized her behavior in court as untrustworthy and deceitful. In retrospect, we should have recognized this after uncovering her true nature from various individuals who had unfavorable experiences with her, underscoring the type of person we were dealing with.
We paid exactly what we intended to pay prior to any court judgment.
It is significant to mention that the final amount we paid her was actually less than our initial offer made prior to her decision to file a lawsuit. During my testimony in court, I underscored our commitment to honoring the original proposed amount that was presented eight months prior. The stud contract was vague, as the stud owner added extra requirements through email, which were not included in the contract. Moreover, the court denied the stud owner's effort to sell a puppy pick of the litter to a third party and dismissed her claim for emotional distress. Instead, the court mandated the plaintiff, who is the stud owner, to complete all necessary paperwork for the AKC. Once this obligation is fulfilled, she will be entitled to receive the stud fee of $4000, along with interest and a nominal court fee.
We had expected that this ruling would be predetermined it has provided us with significant satisfaction, especially considering the stud owner's earlier remarks on social media, where she strongly refused to sign the AKC litter Certificate.
Throughout this arduous experience, the AKC organization has rendered outstanding support, for which we are profoundly appreciative.
We have decided against pursuing a countersuit at this moment, emphasizing the importance of this choice. Nevertheless, it seems she persists in making false accusations against us.
We sincerely wish the stud owner success in her future endeavors and harbor no ill feelings towards her.
-It is noteworthy that our first attempt to settle for the stud fee occurred when the litter was just nine days old.
-We made several proposals, beginning with an initial offer of $3000 on October 26, 2022, while the pups were born on October 17, 2022.
-This was succeeded by a second attempt on October 27, 2022, to reconsider our offer.
-On November 10, 2022, we took the initiative to improve our proposal to $4000. While we acknowledged that this amount was exceedingly generous for an 18-month-old stud dog, particularly given his limited background in external breeding and the absence of any awards, we remained determined to proceed and address this matter for our puppies.
She responded to our email on December 6, indicating that $4000 was regarded as a reasonable figure.
However, by December 9, she initiated legal action by filing a lawsuit seeking $7000 in compensation.
In spite of the numerous challenges posed by this difficult situation, we managed to overcome them. Our unwavering dedication and commitment to our principles have earned the trust and support of breeders who fully back us. Thanks to our persistent efforts, we have successfully raised an exceptional litter of puppies, each of which has been placed in a caring and nurturing home.
Fran and Tom Bonenfant
Co-founder owner of Max Baron Dobermans & HHF Noble Dobermans
“Weak people revenge, Strong people forgive, intelligent people ignore.”–Anonymous.
