Eastern Star, Inc. v. Union Building Materials Corp.

OPINION OF THE COURT BY

TANAKA, J.

Defendants Union Building Materials Corporation (UBM) and Keith Kranz (Kranz) (UBM and Kranz hereinafter collectively Defendants) appeal from the judgment awarding to plaintiff Eastern Star, Inc., S.A. (Eastern Star) treble damages under Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 480-13(a)(1) (1976) 1 pursuant to the jury’s special verdict. Eastern Star cross-appeals the trial court’s dismissal of its common law fraud claim. We affirm the judgment awarding treble damages and reverse the dismissal of the fraud claim.

The issues raised by Defendants’ appeal and our answers…