TREES Corp (Colorado) 10-Q

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS In July 2021, we were served with a Complaint in the District Court, County of Denver, Colorado, by plaintiff 2353 SB, LLC (“Plaintiff”). We entered into a lease with Plaintiff for the premises at 2353 South Broadway, Denver, CO with a term of three (3) years to commence on November 1, 2020. Monthly lease payments were to be $12,866.66. In 2020, we made initial payments (first month’s rent and security deposit) of $39,633.32; but subsequently did not take possession of the premises and have made no further payments in respect thereof, as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lease contains a ‘force majeure’ clause which includes a provision that neither party is liable for failure to perform its obligations under the lease which have become practicably impossible because of circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the applicable party, including ‘pandemics or outbreak of communicable disease.’ We have taken the position that our failure to take possession and make any further payments under the lease is directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are vigorously defending this action and believe that the above-referenced force majeure clause presents a complete defense to Plaintiff’s claims. We filed a motion to dismiss; both parties also filed motions for summary judgment. In October 2022, the court denied our motion to dismiss on the basis that Plaintiff sufficiently pled facts that raise a plausible claim for relief, notwithstanding our possible defenses. The court did not rule on either motion for summary judgment. On November 14, 2022, we timely filed a formal answer to the complaint, denying each of Plaintiff’s substantive claims. We also asserted appropriate affirmative defenses, including the force majeure clause of the lease, which provides that we are not liable under the lease in the event of a variety of events outside our control, including “pandemics.” In addition, we have asserted a counterclaim against the Plaintiff for breach of contract to recover the initial payments made under the lease as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS As of the date of this report, there have been no material changes to the Risk Factors disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS None. ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES None. ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES Not applicable.