Maric Healthcare, LLC v. Perla Ramirez-Groothuis

── Maric Healthcare, LLC v. Perla Ramirez-Groothuis ── Court: Court of Chancery of Delaware Date: April 16, 2026 Category: General IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE MARIC HEALTHCARE, LLC; NEW ) MEXICO TREATMENT SERVICES, ) LLC; and COLORADO TREATMENT ) SERVICES, LLC ) ) Plaintiffs, ) ) v. ) C.A. No. 2023-0878-NAC ) PERLA RAMIREZ-GROOTHUIS ) ) Defendant. ) POST-TRIAL MEMORANDUM OPINION Date Submitted: October 13, 2025 Date Decided: April 16, 2026 John M. Seaman, Michael T. Manuel, Clara E. Hubbard, ABRAMS & BAYLISS LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; Counsel for Plaintiffs Maric Healthcare, LLC, New Mexico Treatment Services, LLC, and Colorado Treatment Services, LLC. Glenn A. Brown, REAL WORLD LAW, P.C., Wilmington, Delaware; Thomas P. Howard, Kammie Cuneo, THOMAS P. HOWARD, LLC, Louisville, Colorado; Counsel for Defendant Perla Ramirez-Groothuis. COOK, V.C.  The plaintiffs seek more than $4 million in damages from the defendant, who set up an opioid treatment facility two miles from the plaintiffs’ clinic. The plaintiffs proved liability and damages resulting from the defendant’s solicitation of a single key employee. They are entitled to travels costs for the replacement hire. I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND The facts are drawn from a relatively slim post-trial record, which includes 21 stipulations of fact, approximately 200 exhibits, deposition testimony of eight witnesses, and trial testimony from four. 1 Having evaluated the credibility of the witnesses and weighed the evidence, the Court makes the following findings by a preponderance of the evidence. A. Maric With the opioid addiction crisis raging, Maric Healthcare LLC (“Maric”) grew to include twenty-nine opioid addiction treatment centers across seven states in the United States. 2 Maric is a Delaware limited liability company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma 3 and owned by Michael Margolis. 4 Alan Jamieson served as its Chief 1 Citations to Pre-Trial Stip. refer to the Joint Pre-Trial Stipulation and Order. Dkt. 118. Joint trial exhibits are cited as “JX ___,” trial testimony is cited as “TT___([Name]),” and depositions are cited as “([Name]) Dep. ____.” Per the Joint Pre-Trial Stipulation and Order, any objections to deposition testimony and trial exhibits would be addressed in post-trial briefing unless resolved at or before trial. Pre-Trial Stip. VIII.A & C. 2 TT 5:19–20 (Ann Jamieson). 3 Pre-Trial Stip. ¶¶ 1, 2. 4 TT 7:13–14 (Ann Jamieson). Executive Officer since its formation in the early 2010s. 5 He resigned towards the end of 2023 due, in part, to a difference in vision with Margolis. 6 His wife, Ann Jamieson, assumed the role of chief operating officer in 2018, and in 2024 changed roles to become chief clinical officer. 7 Starting out as a counselor, she has worked with Margolis in the opioid addiction treatment industry since 2004. 8 Ann Jamieson described Maric’s “vision statement” to be “increasing access” to “everybody who needs treatment for opioid abuse disorder.” 9 Its clinics provide medication-assisted treatment plans using methadone and suboxone, as well as counseling services to patients struggling with substance use disorder. 10 Much of its patient population is insured by Medicaid. 11 Maric operates its clinics through Delaware limited liability companies. 12 The Maric entity for Colorado was Colorado Treatment Services, LLC (“CTS”). 5 TT 9:4–7 (Ann Jamieson). 6 TT 9:17–23 (Ann Jamieson). He also resigned due to illness. TT 9:13–14 (Ann Jamieson). 7 TT 8:5–9:1 (Ann Jamieson). 8 TT 7:13–24 (Ann Jamieson). 9 TT 48:9–12 (Ann Jamieson). 10 Pre-Trial Stip. ¶ 1–3. 11 TT 93:1–4