A small business owner has filed a lawsuit against a multinational engineering firm and its representatives, alleging defamation and emotional distress. Simmie Graves Jr., the plaintiff, filed the complaint on March 4, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, against Michael Reed from Stantec Inc. and Patricia McGovern from McDonald/McGovern Engineers (MME).
The case revolves around allegations that the defendants made false statements about Graves' company, Computer Design Solutions (CDS), which provided Computer Aided Design (CAD) services for a project with the Port of San Francisco in 2019. According to Graves, his company was contracted by Stantec/MME JV for CAD services but was only partially compensated for their work. The complaint details how CDS was supposed to receive $30,000 but only received $13,654.30 before being told there was no more work available.
Graves accuses Michael Reed of making defamatory statements in a communication to the San Francisco Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) on September 19, 2024. Reed allegedly claimed that Graves' performance was subpar and expressed reluctance to work with him again. This statement is said to have damaged Graves' reputation and affected his ability to secure future contracts.
The plaintiff also claims that the defendants intentionally inflicted emotional distress by misleading him about available work opportunities and failing to fulfill their contractual obligations. Despite multiple attempts by Graves to seek additional work or clarification on contract terms, he alleges that he received dismissive responses or no response at all.
In his complaint, Graves seeks $300,000 in damages for libel and emotional distress caused by the defendants' actions. He argues that their conduct not only harmed his business reputation but also violated local business enterprise regulations intended to support small businesses like his own.
Representing himself in this legal battle, Simmie Graves Jr. is determined to hold Stantec Inc., Michael Reed, Patricia McGovern, and MME accountable for what he perceives as deliberate attempts to undermine his professional standing.
The case is being overseen by Judge Sahar Enayati under Case No.: CGC-25-622970.