Texas Ear Nose & Throat Consultants, PLLC, Joseph Edmonds, Newton Duncan and James Albright v. John K. Jones M.D.
This case involves consolidated cross-appeals stemming from the departure of John Jones, a founding member, from Texas Ear Nose & Throat Consultants, PLLC (TENT). Jones sued TENT and other members for breach of agreements, shareholder oppression, and denial of access to records, while TENT counter-claimed for breach of contract. A jury found both TENT and Jones breached agreements, with TENT breaching first, and also found shareholder oppression, leading to a trial court judgment awarding damages and attorney's fees to both sides, and ordering a buy-out of Jones's membership. On appeal, the court modified the award of attorney's fees for denial of access to be against TENT and remanded for recalculation. It reversed the trial court's buy-out order and remanded Jones's shareholder oppression claims for further consideration under evolving legal standards. The court also reversed TENT's award of damages and attorney's fees for Jones's alleged breach of contract, effectively rendering a take-nothing judgment on those claims. The remainder of the judgment was affirmed as modified.