The plaintiffs sued the defendant lawyer and accountant for professional negligence, alleging they failed to protect the plaintiffs' ownership interest in a corporation.
The defendants brought third-party claims against the corporation and its principals.
The defendants and third parties moved for summary judgment to stay the action, relying on a general release previously signed by the plaintiffs in a settlement with the corporation.
The court granted the motions, finding that although the defendants were not parties to the release, allowing the action to proceed would trigger third-party claims against the released parties, violating the no-claims-over provision.
The main action and third-party proceedings were permanently stayed as an abuse of process.