Hogan Lovell's London office
GALVESTON - A motion to transfer filed by two defendants in a lawsuit arising from the acquisition of a risk management company says Galveston County is not the proper venue to hear the litigation.
Washington, D.C., resident Gerald Young and Webster-based Hopewell Risk Strategies LLC requested March 26 that Galveston County 405th District Court Judge Wayne Mallia move Steven Turner's suit against them to a court in Harris County.
Turner claims the defendants failed to uphold an agreement stemming from the sale of his business. He accuses them of not paying the full purchase price of $1,716,296 or the negotiated quarterly payments.
The suit, filed two months ago, says Young's failure to pay inflicted financial distress on the plaintiff, who adds Young even threatened him with civil litigation on "wholly meritless allegations" in an attempt to have Hopewell's debt forgiven.
Young reportedly was on the verge of selling Hopewell to an undisclosed buyer.
The defendants state the case should be assigned to Harris County because "all or a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim" took place there.
They also affirm that Hopewell's principal place of business is in the proposed jurisdiction and Young is an out-of-state resident.
London-based Hogan Lovells is their legal counsel.
Case No. 12-cv-304