Developer companies face more than 25 lawsuits

MARTINSBURG - A bank, landscapers, cabinet makers and other subcontractors have filed suits for millions of dollars against a homebuilder, his companies and associates in Berkeley County.

John E. Petry, his company American Homes by United Builders LLC and his other businesses are facing 27 lawsuits filed between late September 2006 through this January. Twelve of those cases were decided in Charlottesville, Va., where Wachovia Bank sought relief for millions of dollars in unpaid credit agreements.

In two cases against Petry alone, the court ruled in November in favor of Wachovia and has ordered him to pay $4,436,023.89. Similar rulings of foreign judgments have been entered in Berkeley County Circuit Court against American Homes, Joseph S. Hebda, Robert L. Petry and Hampton Homes LLC.

John Petry's lawyer, Kathy Santa Barbara, has filed motions to strike the notice of filing of foreign judgments in at least three of those cases so far.

In the other suits against American Homes, its limited liability companies and associates, the plaintiffs claim they have not been paid for supplies and completed work, and that the defendants have breached contracts.

Five cases against American Homes and its associates were filed by Roper Bros. Lumber Co. Inc. on Jan. 17 in Berkeley County Circuit Court.

The lumber company is seeking at least $32,402.23 in those cases, which name the following defendants: American Homes, Deepinder Singh Grewal, AH Lender LLC, Kanette Petry, Raymond L. Gilbert, Bernarda R. Gilbert, Cartus Home Loans, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc., Carl H. Cather III and Michael Everly dba M-M Countertops.

In a separate case against American Homes that was filed Jan. 17, Custom Cabinetry and Flooring LLC claims the defendant owes at least $65,401 after breaching multiple contracts for cabinet installation in new homes between May 2 and July 25, 2006.

In another case, filed Jan. 22, Potomac Landscaping & Masonry LLC claims American Homes failed to pay $14,352.85 for completed masonry services on three projects in May 2006.

All the cases are divided between Berkeley County Circuit Court judges David Sanders, Gray Silver and Christopher Wilkes.