Chrisman Manufacturing, Inc. v. Rowan-Cornil, Inc.

859 F. Supp. 2d 842, 2012 WL 930928, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36332
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Mississippi
DecidedMarch 19, 2012
DocketCivil No. 1:10CV482-HSO-JMR
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 859 F. Supp. 2d 842 (Chrisman Manufacturing, Inc. v. Rowan-Cornil, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chrisman Manufacturing, Inc. v. Rowan-Cornil, Inc., 859 F. Supp. 2d 842, 2012 WL 930928, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36332 (S.D. Miss. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT, AND DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

HALIL SULEYMAN OZERDEN, District Judge.

BEFORE THE COURT are the Motions for Partial Summary Judgment filed by Defendant/Counter-Claimant RowanCornil, Inc. d/b/a Sunbelt Industrial Trucks [“Sunbelt”] [17], and by PlaintiffiCounter-Defendant Chrisman Manufacturing, Inc. [“Chrisman”] [19], on Sunbelt’s Counterclaim against Chrisman, to the extent Sunbelt claims Chrisman violated Mississippi Code §§ 75-77-3, 75-77-5, 75-77-9, and 75-77-11, by failing to repurchase certain forklifts. Both Motions are fully briefed. After due consideration of the record, the submissions on file, and the relevant legal authorities, the Court finds that Sunbelt’s and Chrisman’s Motions [17], [19], should be denied.

I. BACKGROUND

Chrisman and a predecessor-in-interest of Sunbelt, Tailift USA, Inc. [“Tailift”], entered into a Distributorship Agreement [the “Agreement”] on November 8, 2002, for the sale of forklifts manufactured by Chrisman under the brand name “Navigator.” Stipulations of Fact [15], at p. 1. With Chrisman’s consent, Tailift assigned its rights and obligations under the Agreement to Sunbelt shortly thereafter. Id. The Agreement permitted written amendments,1 and the parties amended it twice. [844]*844Stipulations of Fact [15], at p. 2. The first amendment was undated [“First Amendment”], and the second amendment occurred on September 24, 2007 [“Second Amendment”]. Id. By letter dated August 9, 2010, Chrisman gave notice to Sunbelt that it would not renew the Agreement effective November 8, 2010. Id. By letter dated November 9, 2010, Sunbelt made demand upon Chrisman for repurchase of 24 forklifts, which are identified in Exhibit “E” attached to the parties’ Stipulations of Fact. Id. Chrisman has not repurchased any of the forklifts. Id.

Chrisman filed its Complaint [1] against Sunbelt on or about September 30, 2010. It filed an Amended Complaint [7] on December 15, 2010. Chrisman seeks certain declarations from the Court regarding the parties’ rights and obligations under the Agreement. Chrisman also charges that Sunbelt breached the contract, breached its fiduciary duties, and/or breached the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing. Am. CompL, at pp. 7-9.

Sunbelt filed an Answer [8] and Counterclaim [9] on December 23, 2010. The Counterclaim alleges that Chrisman’s purported nonrenewal was in fact a termination of the Agreement which did not comply with Mississippi law, because the notice of termination did not state all of the reasons constituting good cause for cancellation, as required by Mississippi Code § 75-77-2(1). Counterclaim [9], at p. 2. The Counterclaim asserts that the termination was also prohibited by Mississippi law because the reasons for termination were based upon market conditions, namely the change in the market, a condition beyond Sunbelt’s control. Id. (citing Miss.Code § 75-77-4(d)). Sunbelt claims that Chrisman is obligated to repurchase the inventory of forklifts which were held by Sunbelt as of August 9, 2010. Id.

The parties have now filed competing Motions for Partial Summary Judgment on Sunbelt’s Counterclaim, but only to the extent Sunbelt claims that Chrisman is obligated to repurchase the forklifts, pursuant to Mississippi Code §§ 75-77-3, 75-77-5, 75-77-9, and 75-77-11.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Summary Judgment Standard

Rule 56(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure states, in relevant part, that

[a] party may move for summary judgment, identifying each claim or defense — or the part of each claim or defense — on which summary judgment is sought. The court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). In applying this standard, the Court views evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmovant. Abarca v. Metro. Transit Auth., 404 F.3d 938, 940 (5th Cir.2005) (citing Coleman v. Houston Indep. Sch. Dist., 113 F.3d 528, 533 (5th Cir.1997)).

[845]*845The purpose of summary judgment is to isolate and dispose of factually unsupported claims or defenses. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Unida v. Levi Strauss & Co., 986 F.2d 970, 976 (5th Cir.1993). A party seeking summary judgment bears the initial burden of identifying those portions of the pleadings and discovery on file, together with any affidavits, which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548. Once the movant carries its burden, the burden shifts to the nonmovant to show that summary judgment should not be granted. Id. at 324-25, 106 S.Ct. 2548. To rebut a properly supported motion for summary judgment, the opposing party must show, with “significant probative evidence,” that there exists a genuine issue of material fact. Hamilton v. Segue Software, Inc., 232 F.3d 473, 477 (5th Cir.2000) (citing Conkling v. Turner, 18 F.3d 1285, 1295 (5th Cir.1994)).

Because the Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this lawsuit by virtue of diversity of citizenship, see 28 U.S.C. § 1332, it must apply the substantive law of Mississippi in resolving the issues presented, see Erie R.R. Company v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S.Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938). Moreover, the Agreement provides that it “shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of Mississippi, United States of America.” Agreement [15-1], at p. 15, attached as Ex. “A” to Stipulations of Fact [15].

B. The Act

The parties agree that the contract is governed by Mississippi Code § 75-77-1, et seq. [“the Act”]. The parties disagree whether the repurchase provisions of the Act require Chrisman to repurchase any of the forklifts in question. Mississippi Code § 75-77-3 provides that

[w]henever any retailer enters into an agreement, evidenced by a written or oral contract, with a supplier wherein the retailer agrees to maintain an inventory of parts and to provide service and the contract is terminated, then the supplier shall repurchase the inventory as provided in this chapter.

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Bluebook (online)
859 F. Supp. 2d 842, 2012 WL 930928, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36332, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chrisman-manufacturing-inc-v-rowan-cornil-inc-mssd-2012.