PART 1:

Connecticut Superior Court, Judicial District of Hartford at Hartford

2002 Ct. Sup. 3869 (Conn. Super. Ct. 2002)

FONTAINE V. COLT'S MANUFACTURING CO., NO. CV

99 0594929 (MAR. 20, 2002) MARC A. FONTAINE V. COLT'S MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC. CT PAGE 3870 NO. CV-99-0594929 CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT, JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF HARTFORD AT HARTFORD MARCH 20, 2002 MEMORANDUM OF DECISION (AS REVISED)

Part 2: MARC A. FONTAINE v. COLT'S MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC. (AC 22743). Foti, Dranginis and West, Js. Submitted on briefs December 11, 2002officially released February 4, 2003 (Appeal from Superior Court, judicial district of Hartford, Hon. Samuel Freed, judge trial referee.) Joseph Dieso filed a brief for the appellant (defendant). Joshua A. Hawks-Ladds, Allison M. Bogosian and Gwen P. Weisberg filed a brief for the appellee (plaintiff).

1. The case name and the year it was decided?

2. Who was the plaintiff and what was the plaintiff's argument?

3. Who was the defendant and what was the defendant's argument?

4. Is the case provided a trial court case, an appeals court case or a Supreme Court case?

5. What was the court's decision in the case?

6. Was the court's decision a good decision? Why or why not? Explain.

7. Should the court's final decision change? Why or why not? Explain.

8. Is this a good law? Why or Why not? Explain.

9. Should the law change? Explain.

10. As a business manager or administrator why would this case be important for you in your job? Explain.

11. What management lessons can you learn and take away from this case? Explain.

12. A. In your opinion, where did this situation go wrong?

B. Why did the situation get the point of going to litigation?

13. A. This has always seemed like an interesting but strange case to me. Was this a gift for service to the company, which appears to be standard for senior managers, or was it a reward for a job well done? To me that is the crux of the issue. If it was a gift treat it as a gift, but if it was a reward then treat it as a reward, but it can't be both. Companies usually don't hold banquets for employees with perceived issues in their employment. If you were Mr. Fontane, how would you have viewed the situation, and how would you have viewed the revolver, gift or reward?

B. Why?

C. Explain.

D. How would an outside observer view the situation?

E. Explain.

F. Based on personal property law is it obvious Mr. Fontane had a case against Colt?

G. Explain.

H. The sale of the revolver by Colt seems strange to me as well. Did Colt have the right to take back the revolver and sell it?

I. Explain.