Highland Rim Investments, LLC v. Kindra Cooper

── Highland Rim Investments, LLC v. Kindra Cooper ── Case No.: SC-2025-0621 Court: Supreme Court of Alabama Date: March 27, 2026 Author: Wise Category: General Rel: March 27, 2026 Notice: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the advance sheets of Southern Reporter. Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Alabama Appellate Courts, 300 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229-0650), of any typographical or other errors, in order that corrections may be made before the opinion is printed in Southern Reporter. SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA OCTOBER TERM, 2025-2026 _________________________ SC-2025-0599 _________________________ Highland Rim Investments, LLC, and Monique Dollone v. Kindra Cooper _________________________ SC-2025-0621 _________________________ Highland Rim Investments, LLC v. Kindra Cooper Appeals from Madison Circuit Court (CV-22-900037) WISE, Justice. SC-2025-0599 and SC-2025-0621 In case number SC-2025-0599, Highland Rim Investments, LLC, and Monique Dollone appeal from a judgment, based on a jury's verdict, entered against them and in favor of Kindra Cooper by the Madison Circuit Court.1 In case number SC-2025-0621, Highland Rim appeals from the trial court's order appointing a receiver over Highland Rim. We reverse the trial court's judgment in favor of Cooper and its order appointing a receiver over Highland Rim. Facts and Procedural History This case arose from a May 12, 2021, sales contract pursuant to which Cooper agreed to purchase a house in Madison County ("the property") from Highland Rim. At the time, Thomas Rohrbacher was the sole member of Highland Rim and his wife, Dollone, was the manager of Highland Rim. The parties entered into three agreements to extend 1The notice of appeal in case number SC-2025-0599 also listed Thomas Rohrbacher and M International, LLC, as appellants. Cooper submitted to the jury only claims of misrepresentation and suppression against Rohrbacher and M International. The jury found in favor of Rohrbacher and M International as to those claims, and the trial court entered a judgment in their favor on those claims. The trial court subsequently granted Cooper's motion to pierce the corporate veil of Highland Rim as to Rohrbacher. However, Rohrbacher has not presented any argument challenging the trial court's decision to pierce the corporate veil. We have changed the style of this appeal accordingly. 2 SC-2025-0599 and SC-2025-0621 the closing date because Highland Rim was not able to close. However, the closing never took place. On January 11, 2022, Cooper filed a "Complaint for Specific Performance, Declaratory Judgment & Damages" against Highland Rim and various fictitiously named defendants in the trial court. Cooper asserted breach-of-contract claims in which she asked the trial court "[t]o determine and declare the rights and obligations of the parties" under the sales contract, requested specific performance of the sales contract, and requested damages. Cooper subsequently amended her complaint several times. In those amendments, she added Rohrbacher, Dollone, M International, Inc., and the Rohrbacher Trust dated May 16, 2011 ("the trust"), as additional defendants. She also added claims of unjust enrichment, suppression, reckless misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, innocent misrepresentation, and deceptive trade practices against all the defendants. Cooper also included a count in whi