COR Marketing & Sales, Inc. v. Greyhawk Corp.

994 F. Supp. 437, 46 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1823, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1544, 1998 WL 61585
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedFebruary 12, 1998
Docket1:96-cr-00130
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 994 F. Supp. 437 (COR Marketing & Sales, Inc. v. Greyhawk Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
COR Marketing & Sales, Inc. v. Greyhawk Corp., 994 F. Supp. 437, 46 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1823, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1544, 1998 WL 61585 (W.D.N.Y. 1998).

Opinion

DECISION and ORDER

FOSCHIO, United States Magistrate Judge.

JURISDICTION

The parties to this matter consented to proceed before the undersigned on December 2, 1996. The matter is presently before the court on Plaintiffs motion for partial summary judgment, dated May 23, 1997, and Defendants Greyhawk Corporation and Scouten’s motion to dismiss the complaint, dated December 5,1997.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, COR Marketing & Sales,. Inc. (“COR”), a New York corporation, filed this patent infringement action on February 27, 1996. The action also asserted state causes of action for breach of fiduciary duty against Scouten, conspiracy to . tortiously interfere with Plaintiffs business and for prima facie tort against Greyhawk, Kelro, and Scouten, conversion against Greyhawk, Kelro, and Scouten, fraud against Kelro and Scouten, and for a declaratory judgment against Kelro. 1 On the same day, COR filed a motion for a preliminary injunction with a temporary restraining order, along with a supporting memorandum of law and an attorney’s affirmation. Scouten filed an answer to the complaint and an answer to the motion pro se on March 25, 1996. Plaintiff filed a second motion for a preliminary injunction, a memorandum of law, and a supplemental attorney affirmation on March 27, 1996. Kelro filed its answer to the complaint, including a counterclaim against COR, on March 28, 1996. On April 10, 1996, an answer was filed on behalf of Greyhawk and Scouten by Scout-en’s retained attorney. A reply to Kelro’s counterclaim was filed by Scouten on April 29, 1996. A reply .to the counterclaim was also filed by COR on July 9,1996.

On June 24,1996, a conference pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 16(b) was held before the Hon. John T. Elfvin, District Judge. At that time, counsel for COR, Mr. Frank Gaglione, indicated that an interim settlement had been reached between the parties whereas the motion for preliminary injunctive relief would be generally adjourned, and a partnership would be formed amongst the parties in order to continue to function and manufacture and market the product at issue in the action pending a resolution. On July 15,1996, COR filed a motion to enforce the interim settlement, stating that the parties had been unable to reach an agreement as to the terms and conditions of the operation of the partnership, and requesting that the court appoint a receiver to run the partnership during the pendency of this action. Responding affidavits were filed by Greyhawk, Kelro, and Scouten on August 2, 1996. On August 15, 1996, Judge Elfvin denied the motion, and directed that the parties appear before the court for the purpose of selecting and setting a date and time, for a hearing on the preliminary injunction motion. The hearing was not held, however, and, on November 26, 1996, a consent to proceed before the undersigned was executed.,

While the preliminary injunction motion remained pending, COR filed a motion for partial ’summary judgment on May 23, 1997, seeking summary judgment on its first claim for patent infringement, and permanently enjoining and restraining Defendants from infringing Plaintiffs patents, along with a supporting memorandum of law and a statement of undisputed facts. On December 5, 1997, Defendants Scouten and Greyhawk filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, claiming *440 that COR was not the owner of the patents at issue. On December 19, 1997, COR filed an affirmation in support of its motion. Oral argument on the motion was not deemed necessary.

For the reasons as set forth below, Defendants Scouten and Greyhawk’s motion to dismiss the complaint is DENIED; Plaintiffs motion for partial summary judgment is GRANTED.

FACTS

In 1990, COR’s president, Francis W. Argy, employed the services of Defendant Scouten to develop the interior design of an improved fuel agitating device for an automobile’s internal combustion engine. 2 A patent on this invention was issued by the United States Patent Office on December 3, 1991 as U.S. Patent No. 5,069, 191. A diesel version of this fuel agitating device was developed, and, on September 22,1992, a second patent, No. 5, 148, 194, was issued by the United States Patent Office. These patents were issued solely in the name of Scouten. The financing for the development of the devices and for both patent applications came from Argy.

On July 25, 1991, Scouten and Argy formed COR, the Plaintiff corporation, for the purpose of marketing and selling the fuel agitating devices, with both Scouten and Argy having equal ownership interests. In January, 1994, Scouten introduced Argy to Kenneth Blake, who then joined COR as a marketing director, and was later named Vice President of Marketing and Sales. Blake subsequently introduced Argy to Kelro Corporation.

In order to obtain commercial financing to market these devices, COR was required to claim the patents as assets of the corporation. Accordingly, on July 1, 1994, at a special shareholders and directors meeting of COR, it was resolved that Scouten would assign his rights in both patents to COR conditioned on an agreement between Scout-en and COR regarding compensation, and with the proviso that the patents would be returned to Scouten in the event that COR became insolvent or was no longer in business. See Exhibit 1, Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, dated December 5, 1997. Scouten, by way of a written assignment, subsequently assigned all rights, title and interest in both patents to COR. The assignment was recorded against the patents in the United States Patent Office in Reel 7095, Frames 0779, 0780. See Exhibit 1, Appendix of Exhibits in Support of Plaintiffs Motion for Partial Summary Judgment.

On February 3, 1995, COR obtained a commercial loan in the amount of $30,000 from Key Bank, granting Key Bank a security interest in the corporation’s assets, including the patents. The loan was also personally guaranteed by Argy and Scouten.

According to COR, in March, 1995, allegedly without COR’s authorization, Blake drafted and presented a marketing agreement to Kelro, naming Kelro as COR’s exclusive marketing agent in the United States for the patented products. Kelro executed the agreement, and Blake signed the agreement on behalf of COR. The agreement was not shown prior to execution to either Argy or Scouten. Following its execution, Scouten signed the agreement as president of COR over Argy’s objection, and over the objections of COR’s attorney, John Papsidero, who recommended that certain provisions and amendments be made to protect COR’s interest. See Exhibit 8, Appendix of Exhibits, Affidavit of John Papsidero, Esq. Kelro refused to modify the agreement, insisting that the executed agreement was binding. According to COR, Blake and Kelro represented that Kelro would be able to obtain at least $500,000 in loans or venture capital. However, no investment monies were forthcoming. According to Blake, investment and sales opportunities were unsuccessful because of Argy’s “irrational behavior” in making disparaging and defamatory remarks and in his attitude that customers and investors needed Argy more than Argy needed them. See

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994 F. Supp. 437, 46 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1823, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1544, 1998 WL 61585, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cor-marketing-sales-inc-v-greyhawk-corp-nywd-1998.