Houston Jury Awards $5,000 in Contract Breach Dispute

A security services joint venture agreement was established on March 16, 2015, between Security Details International LLC and Investigation and Polygraph Services LLC to serve Houstonian Campus, LLC. Under the agreement, Investigation and Polygraph Services was to pay Security Details International 50% of billed coordination and management fees. Security Details International alleged that Investigation and Polygraph Services received payments but failed to disburse the agreed sums despite the plaintiff fulfilling its obligations.

Security Details International filed a complaint on August 22, 2016, seeking $4,228 in damages, plus attorney's fees and costs. The defendant filed a general denial. The case proceeded through several continuances. Following a jury trial on April 17, 2019, the jury found that the defendant had materially breached the contract and that the plaintiff was entitled to damages and attorney's fees.

On April 24, 2019, the court entered a final judgment in favor of Security Details International, awarding $2,500 in damages and $2,500 in attorney's fees, for a total of $5,000. Two nonparties were found jointly and severally liable for $4,000 as sureties on an appeal bond. The court also awarded $152 in court costs and post-judgment interest. Funds were later deposited into the court registry, and on October 2, 2020, the plaintiff received $5,523.23. The parties subsequently reached a separate agreement to resolve a dispute over the judgment amount, which included a further deposit into the court registry.