P.F. Jurgs & Co. v. O'Brien

The principal issue before the Court is whether defendants may be held liable for the tort of conversion, if defendants acted in good faith and without specific intent to deprive plaintiffs of property. We hold that they may, and affirm the judgment against defendant Thomas O’Brien, reverse the judgment in favor of defendants Thomas Shortle and O’Brien-Shortle Associates, and remand for entry and determination of damages.

The present controversy arose out of the dissolution of an accounting firm. The plaintiffs are P.F. Jurgs & Co., an accounting firm headquartered in Burlington, and certain…