Countrymark Cooperative, Inc. v. Smith

705 N.E.2d 738, 124 Ohio App. 3d 159
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 8, 1997
DocketNo. 5-97-21.
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 705 N.E.2d 738 (Countrymark Cooperative, Inc. v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Countrymark Cooperative, Inc. v. Smith, 705 N.E.2d 738, 124 Ohio App. 3d 159 (Ohio Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

Thomas F. Bryant, Judge.

Defendant-appellant, Biron J. Smith, appeals from the judgment entered by the Common Pleas Court of Hancock County granting Countrymark Cooperative, Inc.’s motion for summary judgment pursuant to Civ. R. 56(C).

Countrymark alleged that Smith had failed to perform, and to give adequate assurances of performance, on eleven grain contracts entered into between Smith and Countrymark in December 1994 and May and June 1995. Smith, a farmer and producer of grain, signed eleven contracts with Countrymark, which required Smith to deliver to Countrymark a total of seventy-five thousand bushels of No. 2 *163 yellow corn. The corn was due in multiple shipments over designated delivery periods, with thirty-five thousand bushels due after the fall harvest in 1995 and forty thousand bushels due after the 1996 harvest. It is undisputed that Smith delivered no com, and offered no adequate assurances of delivery, to Country-mark.

After deposing Smith, Countrymark moved for summary judgment pursuant to Civ. R. 56(C). The trial court granted Countrymark’s motion for summary judgment, finding that Countrymark was entitled to judgment as a matter of law upon its complaint and Smith’s counterclaims. The trial court also issued a final judgment entry in favor of Countrymark in the amount of. $112,000, based on the parties’ stipulated damages, pending appeal. Smith now takes this appeal.

Smith has failed to present assignments of error as required by App. R. 16(A)(3). Rather, Smith merely sets forth “issues presented.” An appellate court must determine an appeal based on the “assignments of error set forth in the briefs.” App. R. 12(A)(1)(b). Nevertheless, for the sake of judicial economy, we construe the issues presented by Smith as raising the following assignments of error:

Relating to Countrymark’s complaint:

I. The trial court erred when granting summary judgment in favor of Countrymark because a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether Smith could prove the affirmative defense of illegality of contract.

Relating to Smith’s counterclaim:

II. The trial court erred when granting summary judgment in favor of Countrymark because a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether Countrymark breached eleven HTA grain contracts.

III. The trial court erred when granting summary judgment in favor of Countrymark because a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether Smith was fraudulently induced to enter into eleven HTA grain contracts.

IV. The trial court erred when granting summary judgment in favor of Countrymark because a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether Countrymark violated three federal acts: the Commodity Exchange Act, the Capper-Volstead Act, and the Clayton Antitrust Act.

I

Smith claims that the trial court erred in finding no genuine issue of material fact as to whether he could prove his affirmative defense of illegality of contract.

Pursuant to Ohio Civ. R. 56(C), the moving party is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law “when the movant establishes the following: 1) that *164 there is no genuine issue as to any material fact; 2) that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and, viewing the evidence most strongly in favor of the nonmoving party, that conclusion is adverse to the nonmoving party.” Carpenter v. United Ohio Ins. Co. (May 9, 1997), Crawford App. No. 3-96-16, unreported, at 6, 1997 WL 232727, at *2, citing Bostic v. Connor (1988), 37 Ohio St.3d 144, 524 N.E.2d 881.

When reviewing a ruling on a motion for summary judgment, an appellate court undertakes an independent review. Midwest Specialties, Inc. v. Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. (1988), 42 Ohio App.3d 6, 536 N.E.2d 411.

A defense alleging illegality of contract is an affirmative defense. McCabe/Marra Co. v. Dover (1995), 100 Ohio App.3d 139, 652 N.E.2d 236; Arthur Young & Co. v. Kelly (1993), 88 Ohio App.3d 343, 623 N.E.2d 1303. When challenging a contract’s enforceability based on illegality, one does not challenge the terms to the agreement; “[i]n short, asserting that defense does not contest the existence of an offer, acceptance, consideration, and/or a material breach of the terms of the contract.” McCabe/Marra Co., 100 Ohio App.3d at 148, 652 N.E.2d at 241.

Smith admitted at his deposition that though he signed and voluntarily entered into eleven grain contracts, he failed to deliver and failed to offer adequate assurances of delivery of corn to Countrymark pursuant to those agreements. Accordingly, no genuine issue of material fact exists as to whether Smith breached the contracts as written. R.C. 1302.85 and 1302.67. Smith’s liability, therefore, depends on whether his affirmative defense creates a genuine issue of material fact.' Accordingly, the issue is whether there is any evidence in the record, when viewed most strongly in favor of Smith, which indicates that a triable issue exists as to whether the eleven grain contracts entered into by Smith and Countrymark were illegal and unenforceable under Ohio law.

Where the performance of a contract violates a statute or act, public policy may prevent the enforcement of its obligations. Diversified Property Corp. v. Winters Natl. Bank & Trust Co. (1967), 13 Ohio App.2d 190, 42 O.O.2d 307, 234 N.E.2d 608. Smith and Countrymark agree that grain contracts of the type they had entered into have been termed “hedge-to-arrive” (“HTA”) contracts. Smith contends that the HTA contracts he signed enabled him, as the grain seller, to indefinitely roll, or extend, the date of delivery of corn to Countrymark, the purchaser. Indefinitely extending the date of delivery, Smith maintains, makes these eleven contracts illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), Section 1 et seq. Title 7, U.S.Code and unenforceable under Ohio law.

*165 Hedge-to-Arrive Contracts

In a basic HTA contract, farmers promise to deliver grain at a specific date in the future and purchasers promise to pay an agreed futures price set by reference to the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”), plus or minus a basis, which accounts for local fluctuation in price. Eby v. Producers Co-op. (W.D.Mich.1997), 959 F.Supp. 428, 430, fn. 1. The basis can float until fixed by the farmer at any time prior to delivery. Id. If basis is not fixed prior to delivery, it will automatically be set by the terms of the contract. Id.

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

Related

Geisenfeld v. Geisenfeld
2026 Ohio 205 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2026)
Verhoff v. Verhoff
2019 Ohio 3836 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2019)
Vancrest Mgt. Corp. v. Mullenhour
2019 Ohio 2958 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2019)
Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC v. United Plastics, Inc.
418 F. App'x 374 (Sixth Circuit, 2011)
Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. v. Pevarski
932 N.E.2d 887 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2010)
Ayers v. Haas, 15-07-13 (5-19-2008)
2008 Ohio 2405 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2008)
Todd Development Co. v. Morgan
116 Ohio St. 3d 461 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2008)
Dayspring of Miami Valley v. Carmean, 2007 Ca 28 (12-28-2007)
2007 Ohio 7159 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2007)
Palisades Collections, L.L.C. v. Grieshop, 2-07-13 (10-29-2007)
2007 Ohio 5766 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2007)
Tuohy v. Taylor, 4-06-23 (7-16-2007)
2007 Ohio 3597 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2007)
Todd Dev. Co. v. Morgan
862 N.E.2d 116 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2007)
Marron v. Usaa Casualty Ins. Co., Unpublished Decision (5-8-2006)
2006 Ohio 2247 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2006)
ABN AMRO Mortgage Group v. Meyers
824 N.E.2d 1041 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2005)
Citibank v. Kessler, Unpublished Decision (4-15-2004)
2004 Ohio 1899 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2004)
Morgenstern v. Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance
78 F. App'x 485 (Sixth Circuit, 2003)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
705 N.E.2d 738, 124 Ohio App. 3d 159, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/countrymark-cooperative-inc-v-smith-ohioctapp-1997.