Apple Glen Crossing, L.L.C. v. Trademark Retail, Inc.

760 N.E.2d 1109, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 2230, 2001 WL 1663247
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 26, 2001
DocketNo. 02A05-0103-CV-110
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 760 N.E.2d 1109 (Apple Glen Crossing, L.L.C. v. Trademark Retail, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Apple Glen Crossing, L.L.C. v. Trademark Retail, Inc., 760 N.E.2d 1109, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 2230, 2001 WL 1663247 (Ind. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

ROBB, Judge.

Apple Glen Crossing, LLC ("Apple Glen"), Apple Glen Investors, LP ("AGI"), Bobeck Real Estate Company, and H. Duane Bobeck (collectively referred to as the "appellants") appeal the trial court's grant of a preliminary injunction in favor of Trademark Retail, Inc. ("Trademark") and Terri Montesi. We affirm.

Issues

The appellants raise the following consolidated and restated issues for our review:

1. Whether the trial court abused its discretion in granting the preliminary injunction in favor of Trademark; and
2. Whether the trial court abused its discretion in granting the preliminary injunction in favor of Trademark without requiring Trademark to post a security bond pursuant to Indiana Trial Rule 65(C).

Facts and Procedural History

The facts reveal that Trademark is a Texas corporation with its principal place of business in Fort Worth, Texas. Trademark is a real estate and shopping center developer. It has developed and managed nineteen shopping centers in the United States. Montesi, a resident of Texas, is the president of Trademark. AGI is a limited partnership organized under Indiana law with Bobeck Real Estate [1112]*1112Company as its general partner. Bobeck, a resident of Indiana, is the president of Bobeck Real Estate Company.

On May 28, 1998, Trademark and AGI formed Apple Glen, a limited liability company, for the purpose of developing a shopping center to be known as Apple Glen Crossing in Allen County, Indiana. AGI is the majority member of Apple Glen, Trademark is the minority member of the limited liability company.1 That same day, the parties entered into a contract referred to as the Operating Agreement. Under the terms of the Operating Agreement, Trademark was to act as the sole manager of Apple Glen.

On May 28, 1998, Trademark and AGI also entered into an agreement entitled the Development, Marketing, and Management Agreement. Under the terms of that agreement, Apple Glen employed Trademark to develop, market, and manage the shopping center. Trademark agreed to exercise diligence and good faith to develop the shopping center by leasing or selling at least ninety percent of the proposed buildable area of the shopping center by May 28, 2001. The Development, Marketing, Management Agreement also granted Trademark the exclusive right to contract and hire brokers and agents for the leasing of the shopping center.

On September 15, 2000, AGI notified Trademark that it was in default of the Operating Agreement and that it planned to terminate Trademark as manager of Apple Glen. On October 6, 2000, Trademark filed a complaint against AGI in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne Division, alleging breach of fiduciary duty and interference with contractual and business relations. Twelve days later, members of Apple Glen met and voted to remove Trademark as manager of Apple Glen and appoint AGI as manager of the limited liability company.

On October 26, 2000, AGI filed a complaint against Trademark2 in the Allen Circuit Court alleging breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, violation of the Indiana Trade Secrets Act, and requesting an accounting. On November 7, 2000, Trademark filed a complaint against AGI in the Allen Superior Court alleging breach of fiduciary duty, interference with contractual and business relations, and wrongful termination. Trademark sought in part relief in the form of a preliminary and permanent injunction against AGI enjoining the removal of Trademark as manager of Apple Glen and the shopping center and prohibiting AGI from interfering with Trademark's management of Apple Glen and the shopping center. On November 28, 2000, the two cases were consolidated and on December 5, 2000, they were transferred to the Allen Superior Court.

On December 22, 2000, AGI filed with the trial court a verified motion for preliminary injunction seeking to enjoin Trademark from acting as manager of Apple Glen and a motion for replevin of its books, records, and financial information which Trademark held in Fort Worth, Texas. On January 18, 2001, Trademark filed with the trial court an amended complaint against AGI. Following a hearing on the verified cross-motions for injunctive relief, [1113]*1113the trial court entered findings of facts and conclusions of law and issued a preliminary injunction in favor of Trademark against AGI, The trial court denied ATI's request for injunctive relief. The preliminary injunction in favor of Trademark enjoined AGI from attempting to remove Trademark as manager of Apple Glen and the shopping center. This appeal ensued.

Discussion and Decision I. Injunctive Relief

A. Standard of Review

The issuance of a preliminary injunction is within the sound discretion of the trial court, and the scope of appellate review is limited to deciding whether there has been a clear abuse of discretion. Reilty v. Daly, 666 N.E.2d 439, 443 (Ind.Ct.App.1996), trans. denied. When determining whether or not to grant a preliminary injunction, the trial court is required to make special findings of fact and state its conclusions thereon. Ind. Trial Rule 52(A). When findings and conclusions are made, the reviewing court must determine if the trial court's findings support the judgment. Norlund v. Faust, 675 N.E.2d 1142, 1149 (Ind.Ct.App.1997), trans. denied. The trial court's judgment will be reversed only when clearly erroneous. Id. Findings of fact are clearly erroneous when the record lacks evidence or reasonable inferences from the evidence to support them. Id. We consider the evidence only in the light most favorable to the judgment and construe findings together liberally in favor of the judgment. Id.

The trial court's discretion to grant or deny preliminary injunctive relief is measured by several factors: 1) whether the plaintiffs remedies at law are inadequate, thus causing irreparable harm pending the resolution of the substantive action if the injunction does not issue; 2) whether the plaintiff has demonstrated at least a reasonable likelihood of success at trial by establishing a prima facie case; 3) whether the threatened injury to the plaintiff outweighs the threatened harm the grant of the injunction may inflict on the defendant; and 4) whether, by the grant of the preliminary injunction, the public interest would be disserved. Reilly, 666 N.E.2d at 448. In order to grant a preliminary injunction, the moving party has the burden of showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the facts and circumstances entitle him to injunctive relief. Id. The power to issue a preliminary injunetion should be used sparingly, and such relief should not be granted except in rare instances in which the law and facts are clearly within the moving party's favor. Id.

B. Adequate Remedy at Law

The appellants first argue that the trial court abused its discretion in granting a preliminary injunction in favor of the Trademark because an adequate remedy at law is available, that is a suit for money damages. We disagree without addressing the merits of this argument.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Apple Glen Crossing, LLC v. Trademark Retail, Inc.
784 N.E.2d 484 (Indiana Supreme Court, 2003)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
760 N.E.2d 1109, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 2230, 2001 WL 1663247, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/apple-glen-crossing-llc-v-trademark-retail-inc-indctapp-2001.