Battles v. Ford Motor Credit Co.

Ford Motor Credit Company ("FMCC") sued Gregory T. Battles for a deficiency on Battles's lease of a Ford truck that he voluntarily surrendered to FMCC prior to the expiration of the lease term. Battles counterclaimed, alleging that FMCC had committed an intentional fraud against him, specifically, that FMCC had represented to Battles that he could surrender the leased truck prior to the expiration of the lease term without incurring a penalty or an early termination fee. In a subsequent amendment to his counterclaim, Battles alleged that FMCC had slandered him by willfully publishing false…