Clark v. Associates Commercial Corp.

149 F.R.D. 629, 26 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 596, 27 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 811, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9663, 1993 WL 244108
District Court, D. Kansas·Decided June 7, 1993·No. Civ. A. No. 92-1325-MLB·Published·Cited by 17 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

BELOT, District Judge.

This matter is before the court on the motion of third-party defendants for dismissal (Doc. 30), and amended motion for a more definite statement (Doc. 50); the motions of plaintiff to strike the third-party complaint or for severance or separate trial (Doc. 17), and for a determination of applicable substantive law (Doc. 97); and the motions of defendant for a protective order (Doc. 36), and for judgment on the pleadings with respect to plaintiffs claim for punitive damages (Doc. 34). The essential facts have previously been reported, 820 F.Supp. 562 (D.Kan. 1993), and additional facts will be set forth as relevant to the various motions.

I. Objections to Third-Party Complaint

Defendant Associates Commercial Corp (“Associates”) alleges in its third-party complaint that it hired Bob Howard, who—without the knowledge of Associates—subcontracted with Clark Investigation & Recovery (“Clark”) to repossess plaintiffs tractor-trailer unit. Associates further alleges that Randall Lett and an unknown second person were employees of Clark, and that these employees conducted the actual repossession of the collateral. Plaintiff alleges that the repossession was effected through a breach of peace, and that Clark and its employees were agents of Associates. Associates brings an indemnity claim against third-party defendants Howard, Clark, and Lett for any amount that Associates may be found liable to plaintiff. See generally Docs. 19 & 21.

A. Personal Jurisdiction

Third-party defendants Clark and Lett move for dismissal on the ground that the court lacks personal jurisdiction over them. “The cases unanimously hold that a federal court must obtain personal jurisdiction over a third-party defendant before it proceeds to adjudicate a third-party claim.” 6 C. Wright, A. Miller, & M. Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure § 1445, at 344 (2d ed. 1990). See National Gypsum Co. v. Da-lemark Indus., Inc., 779 F.Supp. 147, 148 (D.Kan.1991).

Associates raises only a procedural objection to third-party defendants’ assertion of their personal jurisdiction defense. Associates notes that on September 15,1992, third-party defendants filed a motion for a more definite statement pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(e). The motion for a more definite statement alleged that Associates’ third-party complaint was vague and ambiguous in that it “fail[ed] to allege which of the eight counts in the plaintiffs Petition are the responsibility of’ third-party defendants. . (Doc. 15). The court did not rule on the motion for a more definite statement, but Associates filed a response to the motion on September 25, 1992, specifying the counts of plaintiffs complaint for which Associates sought indemnity from third-party defendants. '(Doe. 19). On October 2, 1992, Associates also filed an amended answer to plaintiffs complaint, which, however, made no new allegations against third-party defendants. (Doc. 21). On October 5, 1992, third-party defendants answered Associates’ third-party complaint, raising for the first time the defense of personal jurisdiction. (Doc. 22, ¶ 10). On December 1, 1992, third-party defendants filed an “Amended Motion for a More Definite Statement.” (Doc. 50). This amended motion is virtually identical to third-party defendants’ September 15 motion for a more definite statement, with the exception that third-party defendants purport to “specifically re-serven and raise[] the defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction, improper venue, insufficiency of process, insufficiency of service of process, and failure to state a cause of action upon which relief can be granted.”

Associates contends that third-party defendants have waived the defense of personal jurisdiction by failing to consolidate this defense in their initial motion for a more definite statement. A third-party defendant is required to “make any defenses to the third-party plaintiffs claim as provided in Rule [632]*63212....” Fed.R.Civ.P. 14(a). Rule 12(g) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides:

A party who makes a motion under this rule may join with it any other motions herein provided for and then available to the party. If a party makes a motion under this rule but omits therefrom any defense or objection then available to the party which this rule permits to be raised by motion, the party shall not thereafter make a motion based on the defense or objection so omitted, except a motion as provided in subdivision (h)(2) hereof on any of the grounds there stated,

(emphasis added). By its express terms, this rule only prohibits a party from raising by way of a second motion any defenses available when the party filed an initial motion authorized by Rule 12. Thus, Rule 12(g) by itself does not prohibit a party from raising in a responsive pleading additional defenses and objections that were omitted from a pre-answer motion.

Nonetheless,'Rule 12(h)(1) prevents a party from raising four enumerated defenses even in a responsive pleading that follows a pre-answer motion made under Rule 12:

A defense of lack of jurisdiction over the person, improper venue, insufficiency of process, or insufficiency of service of process is waived (A) if omitted from a motion in the circumstances described in subdivision (g),....

(emphasis added). Thus, under Rule 12(h)(1)(A), “[i]f a party files a pre-answer motion and fails to assert the defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction or insufficiency of service, he waives these defenses.” FDIC v. Oaklawn Apartments, 959 F.2d 170, 175 (10th Cir.1992).

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Clark v. Associates Commercial Corp., 149 F.R.D. 629, 26 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 596, 27 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 811, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9663, 1993 WL 244108 (D. Kan. 1993).

149 F.R.D. 629 (Clark v. Associates Commercial Corp.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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