Law360 Canada ( January 13, 2025, 11:17 AM EST) -- Appeal by appellants against an order dismissing their action against respondents. An experienced businessman, Hawley initiated a venture to transport specialized steel products by rail, involving the respondents, who had a trucking business. The appellant would manage the venture. However, disputes arose over the business structure, the handling of funds, and the roles of the respondents in the business. The appellants claimed that the respondents breached a contract and committed the tort of conversion. They also claimed that the director of the respondent’s company breached his fiduciary duty by depositing funds into their bank account after the business broke down. However, the trial judge dismissed the action. The trial judge found no enforceable contract between the parties due to fundamental misunderstandings about the business terms and the identities of the parties involved. The judge also found no conversion of funds, as the respondent company had no possessory interest in the money deposited into the respondent’s account. The trial judge attributed much of the confusion to Hawley's conduct and lack of clarity in the business arrangements. The appeal focused on whether the trial judge committed a reversible error in finding that there was no enforceable contract between the parties and there was no conversion....