A Glace Bay couple can keep all of the $100,000 they won in a car dealership contest last month, despite claims by four other contest finalists there was a deal to split the prize money, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court has ruled.

Kim Seymour attended the Jan. 6 draw at MacDonald Auto Group in Sydney on behalf of her husband, Darin Seymour, who was the actual prize winner but was at work. The contest was to celebrate the dealership's 50th anniversary.

The runners-up — Karen Doucette, Gary Matthew Standing, Neil MacMullin and Priscilla Gould — say prior to the draw, there was a verbal agreement to share the jackpot equally.

They filed a motion with the court to prevent the Seymours from spending the money while they argued their claim to the prize.

The parties agreed that Gould suggested they should split the $100,000 grand prize so each would be guaranteed $20,000.

Felt forced to agree

In her affidavit, Seymour said she reluctantly agreed to the proposal in order to avoid a confrontation.

After the winner was announced, the four runners-up said Seymour took their names and addresses and promised to call them after she cashed the cheque. Seymour denied she took that information or said she would contact them.

In a decision released Wednesday, Justice Frank Edwards ruled Kim Seymour had no authority to contractually bind her husband to the sharing agreement. Darin Seymour also said he never would have agreed to give any of his winnings to strangers.

He dismissed a motion on behalf of the other finalists seeking an injunction to preserve $80,000 of the prize, and awarded $1,200 court costs to the defendants.

'Disappointed' with outcome

Christine Murray, who represents the plantiffs, said her clients were "disappointed with the outcome."

"The main issue on this preliminary motion was whether Mrs. Seymour had Mr. Seymour's authority to bind him to the agreement made on the date of the grand prize draw," she said in an emailed statement.

"We certainly felt Mrs. Seymour did have Mr. Seymour's authority, by way of apparent or ostensible authority, as he sent her to the draw to act on his behalf."

'Relieved and happy'

Candee MacCarthy, the lawyer who represented the Seymours, said her clients were relieved by the decision.

"Obviously, my clients had a lot riding on this, there was $100,000 at stake. They're quite relieved and happy that the litigation was as conclusive as it was," she said. "And my hope is that the plaintiffs understand this and they discontinue the litigation so that my clients can go on and enjoy their winnings."

Edwards said he concluded the group members "have no chance" of convincing a court that Darin Seymour is contractually bound to share his win with them.