City of Painesville v. Financial Montauk Financial, Corp.

178 F.R.D. 180, 1998 WL 59358
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedFebruary 8, 1998
DocketNo. 1:96-CV-1063
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 178 F.R.D. 180 (City of Painesville v. Financial Montauk Financial, Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Painesville v. Financial Montauk Financial, Corp., 178 F.R.D. 180, 1998 WL 59358 (N.D. Ohio 1998).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

GWIN, District Judge.

On March 5, 1997, defendants First Montauk Financial Corp. and First Montauk Securities Corp. moved this Court to dismiss plaintiff’s amended complaint pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 9(b) and Rule 12(b)(6) [Doc. 43], Plaintiff filed its response on April 14, 1997 [Doe. 50]. After review of the voluminous materials submitted in support and opposing the motion, the Court denies defendants’ motion.

I

On May 21, 1996, the plaintiff City of Painesville brought this action against defendants First Montauk Financial Corporation, First Montauk Securities Corporation, FIS-CAM Group, Inc., and Asset Reporting Systems, Inc. On January 10, 1997, plaintiff Painesville filed a nine-count amended complaint alleging that defendants: (1) violated Section 10(b); 15 U.S.C. § 78j, and Rule 10b-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; (2) violated Section 20 of the Securities Act of 19331; (3) violated the Ohio Securities Act; (4) committed fraud under Ohio common law; (5) engaged in civil conspiracy; (6) violated the Ohio Corrupt Activities Act; (7) made negligent misrepresentation and omission; (8) violated the Sherman2 and Clayton 3 Acts, and (9) violated the Ohio Valentine Act.4

[184]*184The defendants First Montauk Securities Corp. and First Montauk Financial Corp. seek to dismiss plaintiff Painesville’s amended complaint for the following reasons: (1) defendants First Montauk argue that the statute of limitations bars plaintiffs claims; (2) defendants First Montauk argue that the doctrine of res judicata bars plaintiffs claims; and (3) defendants contend that plaintiffs amended complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

II

A court may dismiss a complaint only if the court would clearly grant no relief under any set of facts that they could prove consistent with the allegations. Hishon v. King & Spalding, 467 U.S. 69, 73, 104 S.Ct. 2229, 2232-33, 81 L.Ed.2d 59 (1984). A court properly grants a motion to dismiss only if it appears that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts that would entitle her to relief.5 All factual allegations in the complaint are accepted as true and construed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. U.S. ex rel. McKenzie v. Bellsouth Telecommunications, Inc., 123 F.3d 935 (6th Cir.1997), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 118 S.Ct. 855, 139 L.Ed.2d 755 (1998); Ang v. Procter & Gamble Co., 932 F.2d 540, 544 (6th Cir.1991).

III

Defendants First Montauk say they are entitled to judgment based on res judicata. Montauk claims that the final judgment from an earlier related ease, City of Painesville, Ohio v. Kenneth J. Schulte, Case No. 1:94 CV 1034, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11419, 1994 WL 447090 (N.D.Ohio Aug. 12, 1994) (“Painesville 1 ”), bars plaintiff from pursuing this action.

In Painesville 1, the City of Painesville sued Kenneth J. Schulte, Murchison Investment Bankers, Inc., Hart Securities, Inc., Comprehensive Capital Corporation, Raymond James & Assocs., Inc., Hanifen, Imhoff, Inc., and Newbridge Securities, Inc. The City argued that these parties engaged in activities that violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,6 and Sections 7(a), 12(1) and 12(2) of the 1933 Act.7 The City of Painesville also asserted claims for RICO violations, Ohio securities fraud, negligent misrepresentation and omission, and breach of fiduciary duty.

Plaintiff Painesville claimed to have purchased securities from Schulte and his employer Murchison in July 1990. However, the defendants gave evidence that Painesville executed an agreement waiving right to a jury trial and agreeing that arbitration would determine all controversies. In Painesville 1, the defendants also moved to stay the action pending arbitration, arguing that the above-described customer agreements compelled binding arbitration of all claims made by Painesville. In response, Painesville argued that the city official who signed the arbitration provision exceeded his authority.

The District Court found that the agreement to arbitrate was valid and obligated the parties to arbitrate all the disputes raised in the complaint. The District Court then dismissed the case rather than staying it to allow for an appeal of the Court’s ruling. The Court noted that hearing any challenge to the arbitration award would be available.

The underlying policy of res judicata is to ensure the finality of judicial decisions. The doctrine increases certainty, discourages multiple litigation and conserves judicial resources. See Federated Dep’t Stores v. Moitie, 452 U.S. 394, 101 S.Ct. 2424, 69 L.Ed.2d 103 (1981); Sanders Confectionery Prods., Inc. v. Heller Fin., Inc., 973 F.2d 474, (6th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 1079, 113 S.Ct. 1046, 122 L.Ed.2d 355 (1993). To establish res judicata, four [185]*185elements must exist: (1) the first action must have a final decision on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction; (2) the second action must involve the same parties or their privies; (3) the second action must raise an issue actually litigated or which they should have litigated in the first action; and (4) there is identity of the causes of action. Id. at 480. See also King v. South Cent. Bell Tel. & Tel. Co., 790 F.2d 524 (6th Cir.1986). Res judicata does not apply if a court dismissed the first suit for want of jurisdiction, or was disposed of on any ground that did not go to the merits of action. Hughes v. United States, 4 Wall. 232, 71 U.S. 232,18 L.Ed. 303 (1866).

Under the doctrine of res judicata, “a final judgment on the merits bars further claims by parties or their privies based on the same cause of action.” Montana v. United States, 440 U.S. 147, 153, 99 S.Ct. 970, 973, 59 L.Ed.2d 210 (1979); Brown v. Felsen, 442 U.S. 127, 99 S.Ct. 2205, 60 L.Ed.2d 767 (1979). Res judicata prevents litigation of all grounds for or defenses to, recoveries that were previously available to the parties, despite whether they were asserted or determined in the prior proceeding. Chicot County Drainage Dist. v. Baxter State Bank, 308 U.S. 371, 378, 60 S.Ct. 317, 320, 84 L.Ed. 329 (1940); Brown v. Felsen, 442 U.S. 127, 99 S.Ct. 2205, 60 L.Ed.2d 767 (1979). Thus, res judicata encourages reliance on judicial decisions, bars vexatious litigation, and frees the courts to resolve other disputes.

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178 F.R.D. 180, 1998 WL 59358, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-painesville-v-financial-montauk-financial-corp-ohnd-1998.