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Sample Document: Legal Complaint About Defective Services
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There are many different kinds of services that can be provided and goods that can be sold. Unfortunately, that means there are many disputes that can arise over whether the goods or services delivered conform with the buyer's and seller's agreement.
What follows is an example of a legal complaint for failure to provide services as agreed. Some of the claims may be applicable to your problem, and some will not. It is always better to consult an attorney before bringing any legal action.
________________________________________________________________________
)
______________________, an individual )
resident of ___________________, )
)
Plaintiff, )
) COMPLAINT
vs. )
)
__________________________., )
a _________________ corporation, )
)
Defendant. )
________________________________________________________________________
Plaintiff, ______________________, complains and states to the Court:
1. Plaintiff is an individual resident of ________________, with residence at _________________________.
2. Defendant __________________________ is a ________________ corporation doing business in __________________. Defendant's principal place of business is in ____________________.
FACTS
3. In an agreement dated _______________, the Plaintiff purchased __________________ [describe services] services from Defendant for $_______________.
4. The Defendant agreed to _______________________ [describe specific terms and details of services to be rendered].
5. Plaintiff, in turn agreed to pay the total price in ______________________ [describe installment or other payment terms].
6. The Defendant did not _____________________________ [describe what services were lacking].
7. Instead, Defendant ______________________________ [describe what actions Defendant actually took].
8. Because Defendant _________________________ [describe what action/lack of action caused damage to the Plaintiff], Plaintiff _________________________ [describe how Plaintiff were damaged].
9. In order to _____________________________ [describe what Plaintiff had to avoid or accomplish; for example, preventing further damage to a roof, making a car drivable, preventing further loss of business because of having no signage, etc.], Plaintiff _____________________________ [describe what Plaintiff did to avoid further damage or accomplish necessary work; for example, temporarily patching a roof, having a proper car part installed elsewhere, hiring another contractor to paint a sign, etc.].
10. To date, Plaintiff has paid Defendant $___________________.
11. Harm to Plaintiff caused by Defendant totaled over $____________ for ______________ [give a broad outline of costs incurred; for example, removal of siding damaged by Defendant, replacement siding, replacement signage installed by another party, lost business because customers could not find the store, etc.].
I. BREACH OF CONTRACT
12. Plaintiff realleges paragraphs 1 through 11 in their entirety, and incorporates the same as if alleged in full.
10. Pursuant to their ___________________ [describe agreement], Defendant agreed to _________________________________ [describe what Defendant agreed to do].
14. Defendant failed to ________________________________ [describe what Defendant didn't do that it agreed to do].
15. Plaintiff has performed all conditions precedent under the contract or alternatively such performance has been waived by Defendant.
16. Defendant' failure to tender the amounts due under the contract constitutes a breach of that contract.
17. As a result of Defendant' breach, Plaintiff has been damaged in an amount in excess of $___________________ [give minimum amount of damages incurred], in addition to attorneys' fees.
II. UNJUST ENRICHMENT
18. Plaintiff realleges paragraphs 1 through 17 in their entirety, and incorporates the same as if alleged in full.
19. Plaintiff has paid $___________________ in advance to Defendant, who has had use of the proceeds.
20. The use of the proceeds by Defendant constitutes an unjust enrichment of Defendant at Plaintiff's expense.
21. As a result of the unjust enrichment of Defendant, Plaintiff has been damaged in an amount in excess of $_______________ [give amount paid by Plaintiff over and above what was spent for work actually accomplished properly by Defendant, and which Defendant used to purchase materials which were used in that work].
III. FRAUD
22. Plaintiff realleges paragraphs 1 through 21 in their entirety, and incorporates the same as if alleged in full.
23. Defendant represented to Plaintiff that ___________________ [describe misrepresentations made].
24. Subsequent events led Plaintiff to conclude, on information and belief, that that representation was false. Defendant has not [describe what was false about the representations and how Plaintiff discovered it]. This set of circumstances leads Plaintiff to the good faith belief that Defendant misrepresented some or all of the facts concerning the sale.
25. Those representations were falsely made, and material to Plaintiff's decision to employee Defendant as ______________ [Defendant's role].
26. The representations above were susceptible of knowledge by Defendant, and Defendant knew their representations were false when made.
27. Defendant intended the representations to be relied on by Plaintiff in deciding to [describe what Plaintiff hired Defendant to do, based on the misrepresentations].
28. Plaintiff was, in fact, induced by the representations to allow Defendant to [what Defendant was supposed to do for Plaintiff]. Plaintiff's action in allowing Defendant to [what Defendant was supposed to do for Plaintiff] was in reliance on the representations, and as a result of the representations, Plaintiff suffered damage.
29. Defendant' misrepresentations have caused Plaintiff damages in excess of $___________ [amount of damage Defendant suffered because it relied on the misrepresentation].
IV. ACCOUNTING
30. Plaintiff realleges paragraphs 1 through 29 in their entirety, and incorporates the same as if alleged in full.
31. Despite demand, Defendant has failed and refused to provide Plaintiff with any documentation regarding the _______________________ [describe use that money paid was to go toward].
32. As Plaintiff's agent, Defendant have a duty to provide such documentation.
33. Plaintiff seeks a Court Order, commanding Defendant to give Plaintiff an accounting of all information and documentation concerning the _______________________ [describe use that money paid was to go toward].
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff demands judgment against Defendant in excess of $_______________, in addition to additional amounts accrued to the date of trial, an accounting, reimbursements for all costs and disbursements herein, including attorneys' fees, and accrued interest thereon.
Dated: , 20___.
____________________________
Plaintiff's Attorney
Attorney at Law
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