Mercedes Benz

A major provider of dealership management software programs and services is suing Rick Case Automotive Group, of Sunrise, Fla., for allegedly breaching its licensing agreement and misappropriating trade secrets. Integrated Vehicle Solutions Group, which provides software and support services to dealerships, also accuses the dealership group, a number of its dealerships in Florida, Ohio and Georgia, and co-owner Rita Case of unjust enrichment and wrongfully refusing to return about 150 proprietary software programs after failing to pay monthly licensing fees for the past year and a half. "These important and very profitable programs, clearly licensed under a written license agreement, have been appropriated," said the software provider's lawyer, Ian Kukoff, of Miami. "The Rick Case dealerships have refused to pay licensing fees and locked my clients out of their own programs." "We believe those damages are in the millions of dollars," Kukoff said. Howev...