Banque De L'Union Haitienne, S.A. v. Manufacturers Hanover International Banking Corp.

787 F. Supp. 1416, 18 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 856, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19897, 1991 WL 328477
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedFebruary 27, 1991
Docket89-2310-CIV
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 787 F. Supp. 1416 (Banque De L'Union Haitienne, S.A. v. Manufacturers Hanover International Banking Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Banque De L'Union Haitienne, S.A. v. Manufacturers Hanover International Banking Corp., 787 F. Supp. 1416, 18 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 856, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19897, 1991 WL 328477 (S.D. Fla. 1991).

Opinion

*1417 MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER OF SUMMARY JUDGMENT

MARCUS, District Judge.

THIS CAUSE comes before the Court upon Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs Complaint, or in the alternative, a Motion for Summary Judgment, and Plaintiff’s Cross-motion for Summary Judgment. For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED and Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED.

In this action, Plaintiff seeks damages in the amount of $1,473,189, resulting _ from Defendant’s alleged improper payment of an international documentary letter of credit. Both parties move for summary judgment on the basis of the respective rights and duties of the parties as. governed by the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (1983 Revision) (hereinafter referred to as “UCP”).

I. Summary Judgment Standard

The standard to be applied in reviewing a summary judgment motion is stated unambiguously in Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure:

The judgment sought shall be rendered forthwith 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 a judgment as a matter of law.

It may be entered only where there is no genuine issue of material fact. Moreover, the moving party has the burden of meeting this exacting standard. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 157, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 1608, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970).

In applying this standard, the Eleventh Circuit recently explained:

In assessing whether the movant has met this burden, the courts should view the evidence and' all factual inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Adickes, 398 U.S. at 157, 90 S.Ct. at 1608; [Environmental Defense Fund v. ] Marsh, 651 F.2d [983] at 991 [(5th Cir.1981)]. All reasonable doubts about the facts should be resolved in favor of the non-movant. Casey Enterprises v. Am. Hardware Mutual Ins. Co., 655 F.2d 598, 602 (5th Cir.1981). If the record presents factual issues, the court must not decide them; it must deny the motion and proceed to trial. Marsh, 651 F.2d at 991; Lighting Fixture & Elec. Supply Co. v. Continental Ins. Co., 420 F.2d 1211, 1213 (5th Cir.1969). Summary judgment may be inappropriate even where’ the parties agree on the basic facts, but disagree about the inferences that should be drawn from these facts. Lighting Fixture & Elec. Supply Co., 420 F.2d at 1213. If reasonable minds might differ on the inferences arising from undisputed facts, then the court should deny summary judgment. Impossible Electronics [Techniques, Inc. v. Wackenhut Prot. Sys., Inc. ], 669 F.2d [1026] at 1031 [(5th Cir.1982) ]; Croley v. Matson Navigation Co., 434 F.2d 73, 75 (5th Cir.1970).
Moreover, the party opposing a motion for summary judgment need not respond to it with any affidavits or other evidence unless and until the movant has properly supported the motion with sufficient evidence. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. at 160, 90 S.Ct. at 1609-10; Marsh, 651 F.2d at 991. The moving party must demonstrate that the facts underlying all the relevant legal questions raised by the pleadings or otherwise are not in dispute, or else summary judgment will be denied notwithstanding that the non-moving party has introduced no evidence whatsoever. Brunswick Corp. v. Vineberg, 370 F.2d 605, 611-12 (5th Ciril967). See Dalke v. Upjohn Co., 555 F.2d 245, 248-49 (9th Cir.1977).

Clemons v. Dougherty County, Ga., 684 F.2d 1365, 1368-69 (11th Cir.1982); see also Amey, Inc. v. Gulf Abstract & Title, Inc., 758 F.2d 1486, 1502 (11th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 475 U.S. 1107, 106 S.Ct. 1513, 89 L.Ed.2d 912 (1986).

The United States Supreme Court has recently provided significant additional *1418 guidance as to the evidentiary standard which trial courts should apply-in ruling on a motion for summary judgment:

[The summary judgment] standard mirrors the standard for a directed verdict under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50(a), which is that the trial judge must direct a verdict if, under the governing law, there can be but one reasonable conclusion as to the verdict. Brady v. Southern R. Co., 320 U.S. 476, 479-80, 64 S.Ct. 232, 234, 88 L.Ed. 239 (1943).

Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). The Court in Anderson further stated that “[t]he mere existence of a scintilla of evidence in support of the position will be insufficient; there must be evidence on which the jury could reasonably find for the [non-movant].” Id., 106 S.Ct. at 2512. In determining whether this evidentiary threshold has been met, the trial court “must view the evidence presented through the prism of the substantive evidentiary burden” applicable to the particular cause of action before it. Id. at 2513. If the non-movant in a summary judgment action fails to adduce evidence which would be sufficient, when viewed in a light most favorable to the non-movant, to support a jury finding for the non-movant, summary judgment may be granted. Id.

In another recent case, the Supreme Court has declared that a non-moving party’s failure to prove an essential element of a claim renders all factual disputes as to that claim immaterial and requires the granting of summary judgment:

In our view, the plain language of Rule 56(c) mandates the entry of summary judgment ... against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear

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

Related

LaBarge Pipe & Steel Co. v. First Bank
550 F.3d 442 (Fifth Circuit, 2008)
Hamilton Bank, N.A. v. Kookmin Bank
245 F.3d 82 (Second Circuit, 2001)
Oei v. Citibank, N.A.
957 F. Supp. 492 (S.D. New York, 1997)
Toyota Tsusho Corp. v. Comerica Bank
929 F. Supp. 1065 (E.D. Michigan, 1996)
Banque De L'Union v. Manufacturers
959 F.2d 971 (Eleventh Circuit, 1992)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
787 F. Supp. 1416, 18 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 856, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19897, 1991 WL 328477, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/banque-de-lunion-haitienne-sa-v-manufacturers-hanover-international-flsd-1991.