Emerson Radio & Phonograph Corp. v. Hendrix

20 F.R.D. 572, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4541
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 11, 1957
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 20 F.R.D. 572 (Emerson Radio & Phonograph Corp. v. Hendrix) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Emerson Radio & Phonograph Corp. v. Hendrix, 20 F.R.D. 572, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4541 (S.D.N.Y. 1957).

Opinion

LEVET, District Judge.

This is a motion by the plaintiff for an order, pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A. directing summary judgment against the defendant in the sum of $44,532.83, with interest on the sum of $35,617.75 from the 6th day of December, 1956, and with interest on the sum of $8,915.08 from the 19th day of April, 1957.

The action was commenced in the Supreme Court, New York County, on April 16, 1957, and was removed by the defendant to this court. Plaintiff seeks to recover for certain radios, television products and parts sold and delivered by it to the defendant. The agreed price was $323,615.90, of which the defendant paid or received credit to the extent of $279,083.07, leaving a balance due of $44,532.83. The defendant’s answer originally consisted of a general denial. However, after plaintiff moved for summary judgment, the defendant on May 21, 1957, served an amended answer containing a counterclaim alleging that the plaintiff agreed to cancel a certain order and that thereafter the defendant placed a new order with the plaintiff and that the plaintiff delivered merchandise on both orders, thereby overloading the defendant’s inventory. The counterclaim also alleges that the plaintiff failed to credit the defendant’s account to the extent of $50,000 by reason of defective merchandise allegedly returned by the defendant’s dealers, obsolete merchandise and numerous other alleged credit items.

Pursuant to a written agreement dated July 30, 1956, the defendant became the plaintiff’s distributor in certain counties in Texas for the period commencing on July 1, 1956, and terminating on June 30, 1957. The agreement was terminable by either party giving to the other 30 days’ written notice. Paragraph 12 of the agreement provided in part as follows:

«•» * * if, during the term of this agreement, Distributor shall have reason to believe it has any claim against Emerson in respect of any transaction growing out of this agreement, it shall in writing notify Emerson thereof within 30 days after Distributor knows or has reason to know the basis of any such claim. Failure to give such notice shall relieve Emerson from any and all liability on any such claim.”

The agreement further provided that, upon termination, the plaintiff had the right to purchase from the defendant “such Emerson products or materials in Distributor’s stock as Emerson shall elect to purchase.”

On October 11, 1956, the defendant, acting under the distributorship agreement, gave the plaintiff an order for television sets and radios. The defendant contends that the order was given with the express understanding that it would be filled in shipments of 30% in October, 1956, 40% in November, 1956, and 30% in December, 1956.

The first shipment under the October 11th order was made by the plaintiff [574]*574on October 25, 1956; the second on November 2, 1956, and the third on November 9, 1956. The first shipment was received by the defendant on November 13, 1956.

On November 16, 1956, subsequent to the defendant’s receipt of the first shipment and prior to its receipt of the second and third shipments, the defendant gave the plaintiff a second order for television sets and radios and which contained the following statement: “Cancel all back orders for TV & Radios except on models 860 and 861, we still want these models.” In his affidavit in opposition to the motion for summary judgment, the defendant’s general manager states that he> was informed by the plaintiff’s agent in Texas that the merchandise covered by the October order which had not been filled had been cancelled and that the defendant gave the order of November 16th to the plaintiff in the belief that the balance of the October 11th order had been cancelled. On November 28, 1956, the plaintiff shipped to the defendant part of the merchandise covered by the November 16th order.

The defendant received the second shipment under the October 11th order on November 29, 1956. The third and last shipment under the October 11th order was received by the defendant on December 5, 1956.

On December 6, 1956, at which time the defendant had received all three shipments under the October 11th order and was aware of the shipment under the November 16th order, he signed three trade acceptances totaling $105,-795.30 plus interest of $1,051.95, due respectively January 25, 1957, February 25, 1957 and March 25, 1957, in payment of invoices covering the four shipments. The first two trade acceptances were paid when they came due. The only one dishonored was the trade acceptance due March 25, 1957 in the sum of $35,-617.75.

On March 22, 1957, three days before the last trade acceptance matured, the defendant wrote the following letter to the plaintiff:

“Emerson Radio & Phonograph Corp.
“14th & Cole Sts.
“Jersey City 2, New Jersey
“Attention: Mr. Stanley L. Abrams, President
“Dear Mr. Abrams:
“A decision has been made by the head of our company that we will discontinue the sales of television and radio sets. We earnestly feel that Emerson will have no trouble in establishing a new distributor for this territory. We ask your assistance in relieving us of our present inventory of Emerson receiver sets, radio sets, and parts.
“For your information, our present plans are to devote our efforts in the wholesale furniture business.
“Waiting your early reply and with kindest personal regards, I am
“Very truly yours,
“E. G. Hendrix Company
“(Sgd) H. Koplan
“H. Koplan
“General Manager
“HK: jlk”

The plaintiff refused to elect to take back any of the defendant’s inventory in accordance with its repurchase rights under paragraph 14 of the distributorship agreement of July 30, 1956.

The defendant never gave the plaintiff written notice within the thirty days after the receipt of the last shipment under the October 11th order that any merchandise shipped under said order was delivered too late, overloaded defendant’s inventory, was defective or obsolete, as required by paragraph 12 of the distributorship agreement.

[575]*575The defendant defaulted on the March 25th trade acceptance in the sum of $35,617.75 and also declined to pay a balance allegedly due to plaintiff on an open account in the sum of $8,915.08. Accordingly, this action was commenced.

The papers on this motion contain a letter on the defendant’s stationery and addressed to the defendant which was apparently signed by the plaintiff’s agent, Stanton Ruby, and reads as follows:

“Mr. H. Koplan
“c/o E. G. Hendrix Company
“321 South Flores Street
“San Antonio, Texas
“Dear Mr. Koplan:

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Bluebook (online)
20 F.R.D. 572, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4541, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/emerson-radio-phonograph-corp-v-hendrix-nysd-1957.