LV company sued, accused of backing out of deal

Tuesday, May 9, 2000 | 11:05 a.m.

A California court reporting firm sued a Las Vegas company, alleging it backed out of a deal to form a new enterprise.

Manuel and Christine Sousa, who operated as Sousa Court Reporters in Manhattan Beach, Calif., decided in 1998 to pursue business in Las Vegas because of the abundance of construction-defect lawsuits in Clark County. The Sousas said while in California they developed technology to put court records on the Internet and on compact discs.

In March 1999, the Sousas negotiated with Monice Krmpotic and Kenneth Campbell of Monice Krmpotic Campbell Reporting Ltd., Las Vegas, to develop a business. They decided on a 50-50 venture and called it Hi-Tech Reporting, according to the suit filed in District Court.

In February, the deal fell through. The Sousas said they contributed $150,000 in cash and equipment to the failed venture and sued Krmpotic and Campbell, who have since married, for breach of contract and fraud.

"We believe the pleadings are absolutely without merit," responded Campbell, the chief executive officer of the company, which has taken the Hi-Tech Reporting name.