No Liability for Unfair & Deceptive Trade Practices

Adjoining land lessees interfered with a neighbor's ability to conduct business operations. A jury found them liable for unfair and deceptive trade practices. On appeal, the judgment was vacated.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT… The appeals court noted that the theory of unfair deceptive acts and practices required a business to show that it engaged in a not-insignificant business transaction with the other business and that the unfair practices arose out of that transaction. Because there were no business transactions between the parties, there was no liability.