In a unanimous decision issued on February 24, 2022, the Arkansas Supreme Court reversed a $12 million jury verdict in favor of local Lonoke County famers against Hilburn Harper’s client K.B.X., Inc. (d/b/a KBX) a buyer of rice from now-dissolved Turner Grain Merchandising, Inc. (d/b/a Turner Grain), for payments made by KBX to Turner Grain that did not reach the farmers’ hands. In rendering its decision, the Arkansas Supreme Court unanimously found that the evidence presented during the 17-day trial did not support the jury’s verdicts against KBX, or its owner or employees, on allegations of deceit, constructive fraud, conspiracy, unjust enrichment and conversion. The Supreme Court also set aside a decision by the trial judge to award $526,818 in attorneys’ fees to the farmers, remanded it back to the circuit court and ordered the trial judge to review the excessive fees.
