Title: Baxt v. Loloia
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: a-13-96
State: new-jersey
Issuer: new-jersey Supreme Court
Date: July 17, 1998

(This syllabus is not part of the opinion of the Court. It has been prepared by the Office of the Clerk for the convenience of the reader. It has been neither reviewed nor approved by the Supreme Court. Please note that, in the interests of brevity, portions of any opinion may not have been summarized). CHIEF JUSTICE PORITZ, writing for a unanimous Court. The issue in this appeal is whether a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct can be used to provide a basis for civil liability against an adversary's attorney. This case arose as a dispute over the propriety of litigation tactics used by attorneys Gerald Liloia and Anthony Sylvester in an underlying foreclosure action. Sherwood Baxt was a partner with Paul Hartman and Paul Baxt ( debtors ) in The Grove Mercantile Center ( Grove ). Sherwood Baxt and Saida Baxt were defendants in the foreclosure suit brought by the Summit Trust Company ( Summit ) alleging Grove's default on a construction loan from Summit. Liloia and Sylvester represented Summit in the foreclosure litigation. In October 1988, Grove obtained construction financing for a commercial real estate project in Jersey City from Summit by way of two mortgage loans, totaling $4.1 million. The original documents called for repayment of the entire debt on November 1, 1989. Before then, however, the debtors sought and obtained a one-year extension on repayment of the loan. The debtors did not repay the loan at the end of the extended period and Summit instituted foreclosure proceedings in March 1991. At issue in the foreclosure litigation was whether the extension was granted subject to a mortgage modification agreement containing a release of any lender-liability counterclaim Grove may have had against Summit. The debtors questioned whether the modification agreement had been executed. During the course of discovery, Summit produced its credit file to Grove. That file contained a copy of the modification agreement signed only by an bank officer, Jennifer Calenda. However, when Summit's attorneys examined Grove's files, they found and copied an agreement signed by both Calenda and by Grove partner Paul Hartman, who had previously informed his attorney that he did not recall executing or returning the agreement to Summit. After discovering the document, Summit filed a motion for summary judgment, based in large part on the release provision of the modification agreement. Liloia and Sylvester attached a copy of the modification agreement to the summary judgment motion, making no reference to the source of the document. The debtors opposed the motion, contesting the validity and enforceability of the release. Grove subsequently made a cross-motion for a determination of no deficiency liability and to compel the depositions of bank officers that the debtors had been seeking for several months. Prior to the first scheduled deposition, Grove's attorney requested access to the bank's credit file. Liloia and Sylvester instructed Summit officers to place the copy of the modification agreement signed by both Calenda and Hartman in the bank's files. Thereafter, for a period of at least one month, Liloia and Sylvester knowingly and deliberately obstructed the discovery process by misleading the debtors and their attorney about the source of the signed modification agreement and by refusing to respond candidly to specific requests for direct and accurate information. Following their discovery of the source of the fully executed modification agreement, the Baxts filed an action against Liloia and Sylvester seeking damages for tortious concealment of evidence and for alleged breaches of the Rules of Professional Conduct ( RPCs ). The Baxts demanded costs associated with the depositions and the review of their own files through which they learned that the document signed by Hartman came from those files. On Liloia's and Sylvester's motion to dismiss the complaint, the Chancery Division dismissed the second count of the complaint, concluding that the claim alleging a violation of the RPCs was collateral and one over which the court did not have primary jurisdiction. The parties ultimately settled the foreclosure action, expressly reserving the Baxts' right to continue with their action against Loloia and Sylvester. Subsequently, the trial court granted Liloia's and Sylvester' s motion for summary judgment, holding that the Baxts could not maintain a cause of action based on spoliation of evidence because they had not demonstrated justifiable reliance on the copy of the modification agreement attached to Summit's motion. The Appellate Division affirmed both the dismissal of the claim based on the alleged violation of the RPCs and the grant of summary judgment on the spoliation claim. A majority of the panel declined to permit a new cause of action based on the RPCs. Although Judge Dreier concurred in the judgment, he would not have found the Baxts precluded from recovery except for the global settlement of the foreclosure suit. On remand from the Supreme Court for reconsideration in light of the Baxts' assertion that the settlement of the Grove litigation expressly excluded their claims against Liloia and Sylvester, the Appellate Division reaffirmed its decision. Judge Dreier dissented, finding that the Baxts had asserted an actionable claim under the RPCs. The appeal is before the Supreme Court as of right because of the dissent below. HELD: The Rules of Professional Conduct, standing alone, cannot form the basis of a cause of action. 1. The purpose of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, on which New Jersey's RPCs are based, was to regulate lawyer conduct through the disciplinary process, not to serve as a basis for civil liability. Consonant therewith, neither New Jersey nor any other jurisdiction has allowed a cause of action based solely on a violation of the RPCs. (pp. 7-10) 2. Our courts have recognized that the existence of a duty owed by an attorney may be supported by reference to an attorney's obligations under the RPCs , and that claimants may present evidence that an attorney has violated the RPCs in cases claiming the attorney has breached his or her duty of care. (pp. 10-13) 3. State disciplinary codes are not designed to establish standards for civil liability but, rather, to provide standards of professional conduct by which lawyers may be disciplined. Disciplinary rules serve purposes that are substantially different from those of an individual litigant in a civil action. (pp. 14-15) 4. Even when consideration of a rule is useful in determining whether a duty exists or a standard of care has been breached, the rule must be intended to protect a person in the claimant's position or be addressed to the particular harm suffered by the claimant. (pp. 15-16) 5. New Jersey's disciplinary system has been recognized as one of the most demanding disciplinary systems in the nation, and it is not necessary to create a cause of action based on a violation of the RPCs to ensure that attorneys conform their conduct to the high standards set forth in the Rules. (pp. 16-17) 6. A claim based on tortious concealment has not been preserved for review by the Supreme Court. That notwithstanding, the facts presented by the Baxts do not make out a claim for tortious concealment of evidence. (pp. 17-20) 7. By placing the signed agreement in Summit's files and by misleading the Baxts as to its source, Loloia and Sylvester violated the mandate of our Court Rules that fair dealing with opposing parties is an absolute requirement even in an adversary system such as ours. (pp. 20-24) 8. The Baxts may within 30 days seek to reopen the order of dismissal for the limited purpose of seeking recovery of reasonable expenses from Liloia and Sylvester for violations of the discovery rules. Should they choose to do so, the trial court should determine the scope of their misconduct and the appropriate amount of attorney's fees and costs to be assessed against them. (pp. 24-26) 9. Liloia's and Sylvester's conduct requires that this matter be referred to the Office of Attorney Ethics for its review and consideration. The Baxts should inform the OAE whether they intend to pursue sanctions against defendants for discovery violations in order that the OAE may stay its review until the civil action is completed. The judgment of the Appellate Division is AFFIRMED as modified. JUSTICES HANDLER, O'HERN, STEIN and COLEMAN and JUDGE PRESSLER join in CHIEF JUSTICE PORITZ's opinion. JUSTICES POLLOCK and GARIBALDI did not participate. SHERWOOD BAXT and SAIDA BAXT, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. GERALD A. LILOIA and ANTHONY J. SYLVESTER, Defendants-Respondents. Argued September 9, 1996 -- Decided July 17, 1998 On appeal from the Superior Court, Appellate Division, whose opinion is reported at 284 N.J. Super. 221 (1995). Helen Davis Chaitman argued the cause for appellants (Ross &amp; Hardies, attorneys; Ms. Chaitman, George B. Gelman, of counsel). Peter N. Perretti, Jr. argued the cause for respondents (Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland &amp; Perretti, attorneys; Mr. Perretti and Michael Cole, of counsel; Harold L. Kofman, on the brief). The opinion of the Court was delivered by PORITZ, C.J. In this appeal, plaintiffs have asked the Court to recognize a new cause of action premised upon a breach of the Rules of Professional Conduct ("RPCs" or "Rules") adopted by the Court for the governance of the legal profession. More specifically, plaintiffs urge us to permit this new claim to be brought against attorneys who represent an adversary of the claimant. A majority of the Appellate Division declined to sanction lawsuits "based solely on an allegation that the conduct of the[] defendants violated the Rules of Professional Conduct." 284 N.J. Super. 221, 223 (1995) (Baxt II). The dissenting member would permit civil liability upon a violation of the Rules resulting in foreseeable injury to a third party. Id. at 224 (Dreier, P.J.A.D., dissenting). The issue is before the Court as of right pursuant to Rule 2:2-1(a)(2). See Manalapan Realty v. Township Committee, 140 N.J. 366, 377 (1995). We agree with the majority of the panel below and affirm with modifications not relevant to this issue. The Appellate Division affirmed both the dismissal of the RPC claim and the grant of summary judgment on the spoliation claim. 281 N.J. Super. 50, 56-58 (1995) (Baxt I). A majority of the panel examined prior New Jersey precedent and found that no case had "involved a cause of action for damages by an adversary premised solely on an attorney's alleged disregard of his ethical responsibilities." Id. at 56. The majority's understanding of the RPCs lies at the heart of its holding: The underlying purpose of the Rules of Professional Conduct . . . is not to serve as a source of litigation, but rather to express the fundamental standards required to uphold the integrity of our legal system. The interests the Rules of Professional Conduct seek to vindicate are the interests of society in assuring a legal system based on integrity and honesty, not private interests. The court declined to permit a new cause of action based on the Rules. Judge Dreier concurred in the judgment, although he would not have found plaintiffs precluded from recovery except for the global settlement of the foreclosure lawsuit. Id. at 58-59 (Dreier, P.J.A.D., concurring). On remand from this Court for reconsideration in light of plaintiffs' assertion that the settlement of the Grove litigation expressly excluded their claims against the defendants, the Appellate Division reaffirmed its decision. Baxt II, supra, 284 N.J. Super. at 222-23. Judge Dreier dissented, finding that the plaintiffs had asserted an actionable claim under the RPCs. Id. at 223 (Dreier, P.J.A.D., dissenting). Violation of a Rule should not give rise to a cause of action nor should it create any presumption that a legal duty has been breached. The Rules are designed to provide guidance to lawyers and to provide a structure for regulating conduct through disciplinary agencies. They are not designed to be a basis for civil liability. Furthermore, the purpose of the Rules can be subverted when they are invoked by opposing parties as procedural weapons. The fact that a Rule is a just basis for a lawyer's self assessment, or for sanctioning a lawyer under the administration of a disciplinary authority, does not imply that an antagonist in a collateral proceeding or transaction has standing to seek enforcement of the Rule. Accordingly, nothing in the Rules should be deemed to augment any substantive legal duty of lawyers or the extra-disciplinary consequences of violating such a duty. [Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Scope (1992).] By this language, the ABA "intended to make clear that the purpose of the Model Rules was to regulate lawyer conduct through the disciplinary process, not to serve as a basis for civil liability." See The Legislative History of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct: Their Development in the ABA House of Delegates 20 (1987). Consonant with the intent of the ABA, no New Jersey case has allowed a cause of action based solely on a violation of the RPCs. See Sommers v. McKinney, 287 N.J. Super. 1, 13 (App. Div. 1996) ("Violation of the rules of professional conduct do[es] not per se give rise to a cause of action in tort."); Ruberton v. Gabage, 280 N.J. Super. 125, 130 (App. Div.) (same), certif. denied, 142 N.J. 451 (1995); Petrillo v. Bachenberg, 263 N.J. Super. 472, 483 (App. Div. 1993) (same), aff'd, 139 N.J. 472 (1995); Albright v. Burns, 206 N.J. Super. 625, 634 (App. Div. 1986) (same). Moreover, our research has found no case in any other jurisdiction permitting the RPCs to be used in this manner.See footnote 2 Whether analyzing the issue under the Model Rules, the Model Code of Professional Responsibility, or other local ethics provisions, no court has found a cause of action premised solely on a breach of the relevant provisions to be viable. See, e.g., Terry Cove North, Inc. v. Marr &amp; Friedlander, P.C., 521 So. 2d 22 (Ala. 1988) (holding that violation of state's legal ethics rules alone does not create cause of action against attorney); Orsini v. Larry Moyer Trucking, Inc., 833 S.W.2d 366 (Ark. 1992) (same); Allen v. Lefkoff, Duncan, Grimes &amp; Dermer, P.C., 453 S.E.2d 719 (Ga. 1995) (same); L &amp; H Airco, Inc. v. Rapistan Corp., 446 N.W.2d 372 (Minn. 1989) (same); Garcia v. Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin &amp; Robb, P.A., 750 P.2d 118 (N.M. 1988) (same); Lazy Seven Coal Sales, Inc. v. Stone &amp; Hinds, P.C., 813 S.W.2d 400 (Tenn. 1991) (same); see also Mozzochi v. Beck, 529 A.2d 171, 176 (Conn. 1987) ("Every court that has examined this question has concluded that the Code of Professional Responsibility does not, per se, give rise to a third party cause of action for damages."); Beattie v. Firnschild, 394 N.W.2d 107 (Mich. Ct. App. 1986) (stating that violations of Code of Professional Responsibility create rebuttable presumption of malpractice, but are not negligence per se); Hizey v. Carpenter, 830 P.2d 646, 651 (Wash. 1992) (en banc) ("Because the CPR and RPC explicitly, and in what we deem to be clear and unambiguous language, disclaim any intent to create civil liability standards, we refuse to hold their violation creates a cause of action for malpractice."). Courts in New Jersey and elsewhere have nonetheless recognized the relevance of the Rules in civil cases against attorneys. See, e.g., Allen, supra, 453 S.E.2d at 721 (finding that "pertinent Bar Rules are relevant to the standard of care in a malpractice action"); Petrillo, supra, 139 N.J. at 479 (finding RPCs to be useful in determination "whether an attorney owes a duty to a non-client third party"); Smith v. Haynsworth, Marion, McKay &amp; Geurard, 472 S.E.2d 612, 614 (S.C. 1996) (holding that, "in appropriate cases, the RPC may be relevant and admissible in assessing the legal duty of an attorney in a malpractice action"); Lazy Seven Coal Sales, Inc., supra, 813 S.W.2d at 405 (reasoning that, "[e]ven though . . . the Code does not define standards for civil liability, the standards stated in the Code are not irrelevant in determining the standard of care in certain actions for malpractice"). Our courts have recognized that the existence of a duty owed by an attorney may be supported by reference to an attorney's obligations under the RPCs, and that plaintiffs may present evidence that an attorney has violated the RPCs in cases claiming the attorney has breached his or her duty of care. Thus, in Albright v. Burns, supra, the Appellate Division found that an attorney had a duty to third party beneficiaries of a will where the attorney had assisted his client in removing substantial assets from decedent's estate prior to his death. 206 N.J. Super. at 632-33. The court drew support from the "newly-adopted" Rules of Professional Conduct, citing RPC 1:15 (requiring a lawyer to deal properly with property belonging to third person) and RPC 1.7 (generally limiting dual representation where clients' interests are adverse) because the attorney "represent[ed both] the estate and its principal debtor." Id. at 633-34. The court explained: While violations of ethical standards do not per se give rise to tortious claims, the standards set the minimum level of competency which must be displayed by all attorneys. Where an attorney fails to meet the minimum standard of competence governing the profession, such failure can be considered evidence of malpractice. The Appellate Division has also allowed a former husband to maintain a cause of action for abuse of process against his ex wife's attorney. In Tedards v. Auty, 232 N.J. Super. 541, 548 (App. Div. 1989), the defendant was alleged to have obtained a writ of ne exeat on his client's false certification and then to have threatened further use of the writ to force a favorable settlement and payment of counsel fees. The court characterized the defendant's acts by reference to RPC 3.3(a)(4), noting that "[t]he duty to represent a client does not shield an attorney from the consequences of offering evidence that he knows is false." Id. at 551. In this case, the rule was used as a standard against which the defendant's conduct could be measured in considering whether plaintiff's allegations were sufficient to make out the elements of the tort of abuse of process. In Petrillo v. Bachenberg, supra, this Court recently approved prior Appellate Division opinions wherein attorneys were found to "owe a limited duty in favor of specific non-clients." 139 N.J. at 479-80 (discussing R.J. Longo Constr. Co. v. Schragger, 218 N.J. Super. 206, 209-10 (App. Div. 1987); Albright, supra, 206 N.J. Super. at 632-33; Stewart v. Sbarro, 142 N.J. Super. 581, 593 (App. Div.), certif. denied, 72 N.J. 459 (1976)). Petrillo involved a buyer of real property who alleged negligent misrepresentation by the seller's attorney for failure to provide complete information about the results of percolation tests conducted on the property. In determining that the seller's attorney owed a duty to the buyer, we "recognize[d] that attorneys may owe a duty of care to non-clients when the attorneys know, or should know, that non-clients will rely on the attorneys' representations and the non-clients are not too remote from the attorneys to be entitled to protection." Id. at 483-84. We said that the existence of a "duty to a non-client third party [in these circumstances] depends on balancing the attorney's duty to represent clients vigorously, Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.3 (1993), with the duty not to provide misleading information on which third parties foreseeably will rely, Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 4.1 (1993)." Id. at 479; see also Malewich v. Zacharias, 196 N.J. Super. 372, 376-77 (App. Div. 1984) (finding support in Disciplinary Rules for duty to opposing counsel where negligent or intentional misrepresentation of third-party defendant had directly caused counsel's malpractice). In Albright, supra, plaintiffs alleged breach of fiduciary duty and negligence; in Tedards, supra, plaintiff claimed abuse of process against a former adversary's attorney; and in Petrillo, supra, the claim was for negligent misrepresentation. In each of these cases, the court was required to determine whether, in the factual context, a duty was owed by an attorney to third parties. In deciding whether a duty existed and, also, whether the attorney had breached the standard of care, the Court considered pertinent RPCs. Neither the Appellate Division nor this Court has held, however, that the RPCs in themselves create a duty or that a violation of the RPCs, standing alone, can form the basis for a cause of action. We decline to do so today. The myriad of courts that have considered this issue have focused on the same concerns we express in this opinion. First, there is general reliance on the ABA Model Code, and frequently a particular state's code, for the principle that state disciplinary codes are not designed to establish standards for civil liability but, rather, to provide standards of professional conduct by which lawyers may be disciplined. See supra at ___ (slip op. at 8); Lazy Seven Coal Sales, Inc., supra, 813 S.W.2d at 404 (quoting Terry Cove North, supra, 521 So. 2d at 23); Garcia, supra, 750 P.2d at 123. Indeed, the Supreme Court of Washington has refused to allow juries even to be informed about the RPCs, not only because they do not set the standard for civil liability, but also because, in that court's view, they "provide only vague guidelines" for governing the practice of law within the State. Hizey, supra, 830 P.2d at 652. Although we approve reference to the RPCs in assessing the existence of a duty to third parties and as a measure of the minimum standard of care, we are mindful of the Washington court's admonition in deciding that a new cause of action based on the RPCs is unwarranted. The disciplinary rules serve purposes that are substantially different from those of an individual litigant in a civil action. The Hizey Court has looked closely at those differences: First, a lawyer may be disciplined even if the misconduct does not cause any damage. The rationale is the need for protection of the public and the integrity of the profession. Second, although the severity of the breach may affect the nature of the discipline, the prophylactic purpose of the ethical rules may result in a sanction even if the conduct would not otherwise constitute [Ibid. (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).] The New Jersey disciplinary system is also designed to protect the public and "the integrity of the profession." Moreover, although various of the Rules set forth prohibitions, others are framed as precatory guidelines. Compare RPC 3.3(a)(1) ("A lawyer shall not knowingly . . . make a false statement of fact or law to a tribunal. . . ."), with RPC 2.1 ("In representing a client, a lawyer shall exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice. In rendering advice, a lawyer may refer not only to law but to other considerations, such as moral, economic, social and political facts, that may be relevant to the client's situation."), and RPC 3.2 ("A lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation consistent with the interests of the client and shall treat with courtesy and consideration all persons involved in the legal process."). Many of the disciplinary rules are aspirational in nature and, therefore, particularly unsuitable for use outside of the disciplinary system. Certainly, a claim against a lawyer for failure to treat a third party with courtesy and consideration, in those cases where such conduct does not otherwise constitute an actionable tort, would be a most difficult claim to put forward. The concept of professionalism embodied in RPC 3.2 lies at the core of what it means to be a good lawyer; yet, a lack of courtesy and consideration, though reprehensible, would be an inappropriate predicate upon which to base a civil action. Even when consideration of a rule is useful in determining whether a duty exists or a standard of care has been breached, the "[r]ule must be intended to protect a person in the plaintiff's position or be addressed to the particular harm suffered by the plaintiff." Allen, supra, 453 S.E.2d at 721-22. Plaintiffs have, however, expressed concern about whether New Jersey's disciplinary system serves as an effective deterrent to unethical behavior. Yet, our system has been recognized as "one of the most demanding disciplinary systems in the nation." James R. Zazzali, Disciplining Attorneys: The New Jersey Experience, 1 Geo. J. Legal Ethics 659, 661 (1988). Chief Justice Wilentz wrote, almost twenty years ago, "that the principal reason for discipline is to preserve the confidence of the public in the integrity and trustworthiness of lawyers in general." In re Wilson, 81 N.J. 451, 456 (1979). He believed that "public confidence in this Court and in the bar as a whole requires the strictest discipline." Id. at 461. His message remains powerful today.See footnote 3 We reject plaintiffs' contention that a cause of action based on a violation of the RPCs is necessary to ensure that attorneys conform their conduct to the high standards set forth in the Rules. Mr. Sylvester: I'm not here to answer questions. I don't know. You know, I'm not going to answer the questions. Ms. Chaitman: Can you tell me where else it would have been? Mr. Sylvester: I'm not saying where it was taken from, I'm not here. Ms. Chaitman: Let me say this. When the documents were produced to us, there was no Mortgage and Note Modification Agreement produced with any signatures on it other than Jennifer's and . . . I'm wondering if it came out of some file other than produced to us. . . . Mr. Sylvester: Okay. I'll take your request under advisement. Let's proceed. At this point, if not before, defendants certainly should have disclosed that the modification agreement on which the bank moved for summary judgment was a copy of the agreement in the bank's files, having been placed there by the defendants after they discovered it among Grove's papers. This disclosure was not made. On December 7, 1991, after the Witherspoon deposition, Grove's attorney wrote to defendants "to repeat the requests . . . that you produce all originals of the mortgage and note modification agreement . . . and all faxed copies in the Bank's files, within the next five days." In subsequent letters to defendant Sylvester dated December 11 and 17, 1991, Grove's attorney again complained that Sylvester had not responded to her prior requests. It was only at the continuation of Calenda's deposition, on December 27, 1991, that Liloia finally stated that the signed copy of the agreement had come from the Grove files. The inference that may be drawn from this pattern of behavior is that defendants were stonewalling and that they intended to conceal from Grove's attorney the source of the signed copy of the agreement even after repeated clear requests for that information. That defendants placed the copy of the signed agreement in the bank's files prior to producing them for inspection as the bank's "original" files is particularly disturbing and suggests purposeful misrepresentation. Such conduct appears on its face to violate the New Jersey Rules Governing Civil Practice and the Rules of Professional Conduct. More egregious examples of discovery abuse may exist. The nondisclosure in this case, however, suffices to make the point. Shenanigans have no place in a law suit. Modern litigation is too time consuming and expensive for courts to tolerate discovery abuses. For over fifty years, courts have endeavored to transform civil litigation from a battle royal to a search for truth. That the Baxts' attorney was able to discover the provenance of the signed modification agreement does not justify misuse of the discovery process. But for the settlement of the foreclosure litigation, plaintiffs could have sought attorney's fees based on defendants' conduct in that lawsuit. Instead, the Baxts reserved the right to seek attorney's fees against defendants in this action. Because the dismissal of this action leaves plaintiffs without a remedy for defendants' discovery violations, and because the settlement agreement put defendants on notice that the issue of attorney's fees remained to be litigated, in the unique circumstances of this case we will permit plaintiffs to go forward with their reserved right to seek counsel fees by way of a motion pursuant to Rule 4:50-1(f) ("On motion, with briefs, and upon such terms as are just, the court may relieve a party . . . from a final judgment or order for . . . (f) any other reason justifying relief from the operation of the judgment or order."). They may within 30 days seek to reopen the order of dismissal in Summit Trust Company v. Grove Mercantile Center for the limited purpose of seeking recovery of reasonable expenses from Gerald Liloia and Anthony Sylvester for violations of the discovery rules. See R. 4:23-3, -4. If plaintiffs pursue their case in that forum, the trial court should determine the scope of defendants' misconduct and the appropriate amount of attorney's fees and costs to be assessed against them.See footnote 8 NO. A-13 SHERWOOD BAXT and SAIDA BAXT, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. GERALD A. LILOIA and ANTHONY J. SYLVESTER, Defendants-Respondents. DECIDED --------------- FOOTNOTES ---------------