Opinion ID: 1360675
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Website and Office Display

Text: Nexsen Pruet argues that the trial court erred in determining that Bland and Richter's website testimonial and their office display were not violations of the settlement agreement's covenant of confidentiality. Although we might agree on the merits, this issue is not properly preserved for review. It is instructive to begin by analyzing how Nexsen Pruet presented the website testimonial and the photograph at trial. In the court below, Nexsen Pruet argued that Bland and Richter violated the protective order and settlement agreement by retaining and using the policy manual, and that circumstantial evidence demonstrated that this violation was calculated and willful. As circumstantial evidence of willful action, Nexsen Pruet offered e-mails containing inappropriate and inflammatory language, the picture in Bland and Richter's office, and the website testimonial. According to Nexsen Pruet, this evidence demonstrated that Bland and Richter were out to punish Nexsen Pruet and were determined to ignore the letter and spirit of the protective order and settlement agreement. We agree that these e-mails as well as the picture and testimonial demonstrate animus and vindictiveness towards Nexsen Pruet, but the inescapable fact is that Nexsen Pruet is adopting an argument on appeal which differs significantly from the theory of the case it presented at trial. Nexsen Pruet's motion did not assert the website testimonial or the office display as a basis for finding a violation of the protective order or settlement agreement, and in this regard, Nexsen Pruet's counsel took care to inform the trial court that these were not asserted as violations of the settlement agreement, but were asserted in support of a finding of willfulness which was relevant to Nexsen Pruet's motion for contempt. That this distinction was evident at trial is exhibited by the fact that Bland and Richter's counsel noted that the only grounds offered as violations of the protective order and settlement agreement were the retention and use of the policy manual. Thus, although the trial court expressly ruled that the website and office display did not violate the settlement agreement, the issue was not presented below and is therefore not preserved for appeal. See Hubbard v. Rowe, 192 S.C. 12, 19, 5 S.E.2d 187, 189 (1939) (noting that in order to be preserved, an issue must have been both raised to the trial court and ruled upon by the trial court).