Doering Equipment Co. v. John Deere Co.
Massachusetts Appeals Court
815 N.E.2d 234 (2004)
Relevant factsFree
Doering (plaintiff) lost money every year distributing Deere's (defendant's) golf and turf products under their agreement, and after Deere allegedly imposed non-negotiable new purchasing and staffing requirements, Doering terminated the relationship and sued for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, seeking $500,000 in operating losses accrued over the prior three years; the trial court found no causal connection between Doering's claimed losses and Deere's additional demands, ruling for Deere.
IssueFree
Whether a court may use reliance damages to place a party in a better position than it would have been in if the contract had been fully performed.