Arthur v. Guerdon Industries, Inc.

827 F. Supp. 273, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9204, 1993 WL 262655
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedJune 30, 1993
DocketCiv. A. No. 85-244-JJF
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 827 F. Supp. 273 (Arthur v. Guerdon Industries, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Arthur v. Guerdon Industries, Inc., 827 F. Supp. 273, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9204, 1993 WL 262655 (D. Del. 1993).

Opinion

FARNAN, District Judge.

The Court has before it summary judgment motions filed by defendant Fleetwood Enterprise (“Fleetwood”) and defendant Redman Industries, Inc. (“Redman”).1 Redman has also filed a Motion to Strike the affidavit of Eugene R. Best. Briefing has been completed on these motions and oral argument was held on June 9, 1993. For the reasons state below, Defendants’ Motions for Summary Judgment will be granted.

I. INTRODUCTION

For a comprehensive review of the background of this case the Court refers to the prior decisions on defendants’ motions for dismissal and summary judgment. See, Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. v. Guerdon Indus., Inc., 644 F.Supp. 951 (D.Del.1986) (hereinafter “Guerdon I”); Arthur v. Guerdon Indus., Inc., Civ. No. 85-244-JJF, March 23, 1990 Memorandum Opinion (hereinafter “Guerdon II”). In essence, the plaintiffs are seeking recovery both under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-68 (1992) and state law.

[275]*275The plaintiffs allege that defendants .conspired to defraud thousands of Vietnam veterans under a loan guaranty program designed to assist veterans in purchasing mobile homes. See, Veterans Housing Act of 1970, 38 U.S.C. §§ 1801-1827 (1982 & Supp. 1992). According to plaintiffs, this conspiracy was accomplished by an “invoice-packing” scheme where the retailers of mobile homes received an undisclosed rebate from manufacturers at a time when such rebates were required to be disclosed. See, Guerdon I at 954-55. As a result of the defendants’ actions, plaintiffs claim they were injured because they were forced to pay higher sums of. principal amounts and finance charges causing many veterans to default on their loans. The subject loans were guaranteed by the Veterans Administration.

In prosecuting their case, plaintiffs on numerous occasions have amended their complaint to either restate their allegations or to add defendants. See, Guerdon II; Arthur v. Guerdon Indus., Inc., Civ. No. 85-255-JJF, October 18, 1990 Memorandum Opinion (hereinafter “Guerdon III”). The presént motions for summary judgment address the Fourth Amended Complaint filed by plaintiffs which followed the Court’s opinion in Guerdon II.

II. SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTIONS

A. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Summary judgment shall be rendered “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). If there is no genuine issue as to any material fact then the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Id. An issue is “genuine” only if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could find for the non-moving party. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Substantive law identifies which facts are “material” and only disputes over facts that “might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law” will defeat summary judgment. Id.

The moving party need not affirmatively refute the elements; rather, they need only show the insufficiency of proof of those elements. Houser v. Fox Theatres Management Corp., 845 F.2d 1225 (3d Cir.1988). When the moving party has discharged then-burden, the non-moving party must come forward with “specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1356, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e)).

Any doubts that exist as to the existence of genuine issues of material facts are to be resolved against the movant. Chipollini v. Spencer Gifts, Inc., 814 F.2d 893, 900 (3d Cir.), cert. dismissed, 483 U.S. 1052, 108 S.Ct. 26, 97 L.Ed.2d 815 (1987). Moreover, all inferences are to be viewed in light most favorable to the non-movant. Id.

The judge’s function on summary judgment is merely to determine whether a genuine issue of fact for trial exists or whether the evidence is so one-sided that one party should prevail as a matter of law. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. at 251-52, 106 S.Ct. at 2511-12. The judge should not weigh evidence or determine the truth of any matters in dispute. Id. at 252, 106 S.Ct. at 2512.

B. PARTIES’ CONTENTIONS 2

Defendants contend that summary judgment should be granted on the RICO claims asserted by plaintiffs because the Plaintiffs have failed to show: (1) that an enterprise [276]*276existed; (2) that a conspiracy existed; (3) that the Plaintiffs suffered any injury; and (4) that any predicate acts are supported by the record. Further, Defendants contend that summary judgment be entered in their favor with respect to the state law claims of Plaintiffs because the Court does not have independent jurisdiction over those claims.

1. SECTION 1962(c) RICO CLAIM

a. Existence of an Enterprise

On this element of the plaintiffs’ RICO claim, the defendants contend that the plaintiffs have failed to provide any evidence to support the association-in-fact enterprise theory upon which plaintiffs rely.. According to the defendants, although the plaintiffs contend that there was an association-in-fact enterprise of the manufacturing defendants and/or the retail dealers, no evidence of any organization or agreement among the defendants or any decision making structure has been nor can be shown.

Defendants contend that the only arguable evidence plaintiffs have provided to establish that an enterprise existed is the affidavit of Eugene R. Best.3 Defendants contend that only Paragraph Thirteen of the Best Affidavit speaks to establishing an enterprise and Defendants argue that Paragraph Thirteen fails to implicate in any way the defendants named in the present lawsuit. Rather, Defendants argue, the affidavit speaks in general terms of all mobile home manufacturers and dealers and cannot be the basis for finding that a genuine issue of .fact exists to permit this case to go forward.

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827 F. Supp. 273, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9204, 1993 WL 262655, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/arthur-v-guerdon-industries-inc-ded-1993.