Fiduciary relationships are those in which one party places their trust, confidence, and reliance upon another who has a legal obligation to act in their benefit. In terms of the law, fiduciary relationships can exist in a number of contexts, and often as a result of service-based relationships in which a fiduciary provides an entrustor with services subject to policy and law. They may also be formal in nature (when statutory law explicitly defines the fiduciary relationship), and informal (when courts have determined through common law that certain relationships are fiduciary in nature).
Examples of Fiduciary Relationships
A fiduciary duty may exist in these types of relationships:
- Executors and trustees of estates or trust
- Employers and employees
- Agents and principals
- Escrow, brokers, and real estate agents
- Corporate directors and officers
- Business partners
- Joint ventures
- Financial advisors and clients
- Attorneys and clients
Three Types of Fiduciary Duties
Fiduciary duties and the laws which govern them are designed to ensure parties in a fiduciary relationship act appropriately and uphold legal obligations our society have deemed critical to the relationships themselves. Although unique facts and circumstances play a role in defining the specific nature of fiduciary relationships and legal duties, there are generally three basic types of fiduciary duties. These include:
- Duty of Care – A duty of care refers to the fiduciary’s legal responsibilities in making decisions on behalf of an entrustor with the utmost care. For example, corporate directors or officers owe a duty of care to shareholders, and must ensure reasonable care is exhibited in any business decision that impacts the corporation and its shareholders.
- Duty of Loyalty – Fiduciary relationships also involve a duty of loyalty, which is intended to ensure a fiduciary never places their own interests before the interests of an entrustor. A director or officer, therefore, has a duty to make decisions in the best interests of shareholders or the corporation as a whole, and cannot benefit from opportunities, compete with corporations, or gain profit (unless specifically stated) due to decisions they make.
- Duty of Good Faith – A duty of good faith exemplifies the fiduciary duty in that it obligates a fiduciary to base decisions on good faith. A corporate director or officer would have the duty to ensure any decisions they make are in the best interests of shareholders and the corporation.
When Is a Fiduciary Duty Breached?
By defining fiduciary duties, our laws protect individuals who suffer harm and losses when fiduciaries with whom they have entered into a legal agreement fail to uphold their obligations to act in their best interests. Aside from the particularities of any given case, there are a few essential elements plaintiffs must prove when bringing a breach of fiduciary duty claim.
Breach of fiduciary duty may be claimed when the person bringing the lawsuit (the plaintiff) can prove:
- The existence of a fiduciary relationship between plaintiff and defendant at the time of the breach of duty;
- The defendant failed to uphold their duty as a fiduciary to the plaintiff; and
- The breach caused damages to the plaintiff or created benefits for the defendant.
Breach of Fiduciary Duty Is a Common Cause of Action
Proving a fiduciary duty exists between a plaintiff and a defendant must be handled on a case-by-case basis. You and your attorney must prove a relationship predicated on confidence and trust existed before any transaction or alleged breach of duty, as well as the fact that many transactions between the party occurred in the past, and solidified their trust in the party who acted as a fiduciary.
Other causes of action related to breach of fiduciary duty in Texas may include:
- Negligence or gross negligence
- Conversion
- Unjust enrichment
- Professional malpractice
- Breach of contract
- Negligent misrepresentation
- Violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act
Which Damages Are Available for a Successful Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claim?
If successful, a breach of fiduciary claim can provide a prevailing party with various damages or equitable remedies. These include:
- Actual damages and lost profits incurred by plaintiffs as direct losses resulting from the breach of duty, and indirect or economic injuries such as business disruption, compromised customer relationships, and more.
- In some cases, prevailing parties may have the right to recover damages for the foreseeable mental anguish or intangible losses created by a breach of duty, as well as potential punitive exemplary damages in cases where a breach of duty was intentional and willful.
- In addition to damages, courts may order a constructive trust to control funds, proceeds, and property obtained as a result of a breach of duty, a forfeiture of fees (common in professional fiduciary / client relationships), and profit disgorgement to return any profits obtained from the breach of duty. Courts may also force an accounting, which can be critical to proving not only the extent of damages suffered by a plaintiff but also the breach of duty.
- Other equitable remedies available in breach of fiduciary duty cases include rescission (where courts nullify or cancel the transaction to put parties in the position they were in prior to a contract), court-ordered injunction to stop injurious actions or compel a party to take certain action, and appointment, suspension, or removal of a receiver or trustee in cases involving trust funds.
Proactive & Responsive Representation from Proven Texas Business Lawyers
Hendershot Cowart P.C. assists clients throughout the state of Texas and the U.S. with matters involving business law and litigation. If you have questions about fiduciary relationships in Texas, would like more information about working with our team to construct essential legal protections, or wish to discuss a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim, our legal team is available to help.
Call (713) 783-3110 or contact us online to request an initial consultation.