Practice Groups
Litigation
School Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution

Contact Information
cfjarboe@abbottnicholson.com
TEL: 313.566.2500

Carl F. Jarboe joined Abbott Nicholson, PC in 1983. He is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the firm’s School Law Practice Group, and one of the firm’s seasoned trial and appellate attorneys. He is a Board of Director member of the Michigan Council of School Attorneys. He also serves as the City of Grosse Pointe Park’s Municipal Judge. Prior to Abbott Nicholson, Carl served two years as a judicial clerk with the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Carl provides expert advice in all contract, business, litigation, employment, and school law matters. He has served as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association, as a lecturer for both the Institute of Continuing Legal Education and the Michigan School Business Officials, and as a panel member for the Michigan Council of School Attorneys Spring Law Seminar.

Carl’s successful trial and appellate experience has been earned at all levels of the Michigan and federal court systems and in courtrooms outside of Michigan. Carl drafts, negotiates, and enforces a wide variety of agreements for businesses, schools, and individuals.

Carl received his B.A., with honors, from Michigan State University in 1978, and his law degree (J.D., cum laude) from Wayne State University in 1981, during which time he was an Editor of the Wayne Law Review. He was recognized as a Top Lawyer in Metro Detroit – 2010 by DBusiness Magazine. 

Carl's outside interests primarily revolve around his family and its activities.  Carl lives near Detroit, is married, and has six children.  He has served as President of the Grosse Pointe Hockey Association, Little League Baseball Coach, President of St. Paul's Church Ushers Club, Detroit Athletic Club Racquetball Chairman, and Vice-President of the Kalamazoo College Football Touchdown Club.

Representative Cases

• Comerica Bank, N.A. v. United States of America (United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals). Representing taxpayer on appeal in action for recovery of federal generation skipping transfer taxes, obtained reversal of trial court’s judgment against taxpayer, resulting in refund award of over $3,500,000 in taxes and interest.  93 F3d 225.

• Automotive Moulding Company v. Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation USA (American Arbitration Association). Representing first-tier automotive supplier, obtained award against manufacturer for breach of contract and wrongful rejection of parts.

• D & H Mack Sales & Service, Inc. v. Mack Trucks, Inc. (United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan).  Representing truck dealership, halted manufacturer’s attempted termination of dealership franchise and restored full dealership standing with manufacturer.

• Hanson Pipe & Products, Inc. v. Mancini Company (Broward County Circuit Court, Florida). Representing closely-held Florida concrete pipe manufacturer at trial, defeated claim by international conglomerate to force sale of business and for lost profits resulting from cancellation of asset purchase agreement.

• Ford Dealer Computer Services, Inc. v. Marler Ford Company, Inc. (American Arbitration Association). Representing Louisiana Automobile Dealership which cancelled a ten-year computer services contract due to failure of the product, defeated Texas computer company's claim for over $400,000 in damages resulting from alleged wrongful termination.

• Huron Valley Schools v. Secretary of State (Ingham County, Michigan Circuit Court).  Representing school district in action for declaratory judgment, obtained ruling restoring district's statutory rights to participate in the electoral process on pending school voucher ballot proposal.

• Redmond v. Oakland Schools (Oakland Circuit Court, Michigan). Representing school district that had terminated the superintendent’s employment; defeated superintendent's claim for over $2,000,000 in damages prior to trial through discovery and motion practice.

• Timelox AB v. Hotel Access Technologies (Wayne County, Michigan Circuit Court). Obtained mid-trial recovery in favor of a Swedish manufacturer of door locks on claim against a distributor which had overstated its accounts receivables in an asset sale.

• Geraci v. Huron Valley Schools (Michigan Tenure Commission). Representing a school district in an administrative hearing, successfully established grounds for discipline of a tenured teacher.

• Hanlin v. Foster Medical Corporation (Oakland County, Michigan Circuit Court).  Representing lessor, recovered interim rent and fair market value of leased durable medical equipment from lessee which had failed to honor purchase at lease end.

• Fine v. Texwood Furniture Corporation (United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan). Representing Texas furniture distributor against a sales representative’s claim of religious discrimination, obtained successful dismissal of case by summary judgment motion prior to trial.

• Lilly v. DCT. Inc. (Wayne County, Michigan Circuit Court). Representing defense contractor, defeated an employee’s claim of hostile work environment under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.

• Johnson v. International Hardcoat, Inc. (United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan). Representing employer, obtained dismissal of employee’s Title VII employment claim through motion practice.

• In re Marcella Shepard Dohany Trust (Wayne County, Michigan Probate Court). Representing Trustee, successfully defeated claims challenging administration of trust and distribution of trust assets.

• Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc. v. Michigan Department of Treasury (Michigan Court of Appeals). Representing taxpayer on appeal, overturned Department of Treasury’s imposition of Michigan’s Single Business Tax liability based upon finding that the taxpayer had a nexus with the state of California.

• Wiggins v. Standridge (Macomb County, Michigan Circuit Court). In defense of claim brought by client’s prior attorney for alleged unpaid legal fees, obtained judgment on counterclaim in the amount of $221,000 for return of all fees paid and malpractice damages.

• Clapper v. Freeman Marine (Michigan Court of Appeals).  Representing Oregon yacht parts manufacturer, obtain reversal of trial court's finding of personal jurisdiction based on maintenance of an Internet web site.

• Hixon v. Van Dyke Dodge, Inc. (Michigan Court of Appeals).  Representing motor vehicle dealership on appeal, obtained reversal of jury’s verdict of $100,000 in exemplary damages resulting from sale of new motor vehicle.

• Huston Produce v. Fedak (Michigan Supreme Court). Representing developer of the Yukon Gold Potato, successfully prevailed in Michigan Supreme Court overturning trial court and Michigan Court of Appeals change of venue rulings and subsequently successfully prosecuted claim against farmer for wrongful conversion of crop.