Wife of Danville councilman to appeal trade-secret decision

By Denice Thibodeau

Published: May 2, 2008

By DENICE THIBODEAU
Register & Bee staff writer
Robin Tomer has filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia against the jury decision that found her guilty of Virginia Trade Secrets Act infringements against her former employer, Romar Medequip.
Romar Medequip was awarded $175,000 in damages by the jury in the February trial. Tomer was awarded $4,000 in compensatory damages for money she said the company owed her.
After the trial, Tomer’s attorney, Joseph Garrett, filed motions asking for a mistrial as well as a new trial, and for the court to set aside the verdict for insufficient evidence, to strike the evidence and to exclude the testimony of one of Romar’s witnesses.
On March 17, Romar’s attorneys, Glenn Pulley and W. Huntington Byrnes, filed a motion asking for an accelerated hearing because Tomer and her husband, Danville City Councilman Adam Tomer, transferred ownership of their home to John C. Tomer on March 4.
Their motion said, “The deed … purports to be both a deed of bargain and sale and a deed of gift. It is unknown at this time whether or not Adam J. Tomer and Robin G. Tomer actually received consideration for the transfer, but it is clear that the Grantors reported the sale price of $91,000.00 to the Clerk.”
The motion further said, “The timing of the transfer shortly after the verdict was rendered but before the judgment has been entered, is suspicious at the least. Romar has a right to an expeditious rendering of the judgment before Tomer disposes of her assets to avoid paying the judgment. The property transferred was finite, certain, and subject to any judgment.”
An earlier court date was not granted, the motions were heard on April 7, and a Judgment Order was filed, ordering Robin Tomer to pay Romar $171,000.
The appeal was filed on April 25; as of Friday, it was unknown if the Supreme Court of Virginia would agree to hear the case and a court date had not been set.
Contact Denice Thibodeau at or (434) 791-7985.