Foliar Nutrients, Inc. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance

133 F. Supp. 3d 1372, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125528, 2015 WL 5595523
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Georgia
DecidedSeptember 21, 2015
DocketCASE NO.: 1:14-CV-75 (WLS)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 133 F. Supp. 3d 1372 (Foliar Nutrients, Inc. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Foliar Nutrients, Inc. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance, 133 F. Supp. 3d 1372, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125528, 2015 WL 5595523 (M.D. Ga. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

W. LOUIS SANDS, SENIOR JUDGE, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

Pending before the Court are the Plaintiffs’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (Doc. 34) and the Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 37). For the reasons that follow, the Plaintiffs’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (Doc. 34) is GRANTED, and the Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 37) is DENIED.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The complaint in the above-captioned matter was filed on May 13, 2014. (Doc. 1.) The Plaintiffs amended their complaint by Court order. (See Doc. 31.) On January 9, 2015, the Court denied as moot the Parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment and set deadlines for revised summary judgment briefing in light of the amended complaint. (See Doc. 33.) The amended complaint added a count of bad faith. (Doc. 35 at ¶ 27.) The Court permitted the Parties to file one joint statement of material facts. (Doc. 33.) The Parties complied with the Court’s order by timely filing cross-motions for summary judgment as well as responses and replies thereto. (See Docs. 34-42.) As such,' the Court finds that the cross-motions for summary judgment are ripe for review.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

I. Introduction

The following facts are derived from the Amended Complaint (Doc. 17), Nation[1375]*1375wide’s Answer (Doc. 32), the Parties’ Joint Statement of Uncontroverted Material Facts (Doc. 35), all of which were submitted in compliance with M.D. Ga. L.R. 56, and the record in this case. Where relevant, the factual summary also contains undisputed and disputed facts derived from the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits submitted, all of which are construed in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56; Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

II. Relevant Facts

Plaintiffs Foliar Nutrients, Inc. (“Fol-iar”) and Big Bend Agri-Services, Inc. (“Big Bend”) are Georgia corporations with their principal places of business in Georgia. (Doc. 35 at ¶¶ 1-2.) Plaintiff Monty Ferrell, who is an executive officer of Foliar, is an individual citizen and permanent resident of Georgia. (Id. at ¶ 3.) Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company (“Nationwide”) is an insurance company authorized to conduct business in Georgia. (Id. at ¶ 4.) On May 10, 2013, Big Bend filed a complaint against a competitor, Plant Food Systems, Inc. (“PFS”), in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleging primarily infringement of patents related to fertilizer products. (Id. at ¶ 7.) PFS filed an answer and counterclaim on August 13, 2013. (Id.) On August 23, 2013, Big Bend notified Nationwide of the counterclaim ■ filed by PFS and demanded a defense of that counterclaim. (Id. at ¶ 8.) Thereafter, PFS amended its counterclaim to drop one count of breach of contract.1 (Id. at ¶¶ 9-10.)

The remaining claims against Big Bend alleged Lanham Act violations, tortious interference, unfair competition, and other related claims. (See 'id. at ¶ 11.) PFS alleged that, “[i]n early 2013, Foliar’s representatives in Florida contacted PFS’ customers and told them that Foliar was in litigation with PFS and they should not purchase the PFS product.” (Id. at ¶ 12.) PFS alleged that, at that time, Foliar and PFS were not in litigation. (Id.) PFS also alleged that “Foliar has wrongfully coerced and threatened the actual and prospective customers of PFS ... that if they purchased and used the fertilizer products of PFS, they and their customers would be subjected to expensive and time consuming litigation.” (Id. at ¶ 13.) The counterclaim stated that Big Bend’s actions “constitute false and misleading descriptions of fact and representations of fact about its own and PFS’ product.” (Id.' at ¶ 14.) PFS asserted that the “misrepresentations have actually deceived or have had the tendency to deceive a substantial segment of Foliar’s intended audience and were placed in interstate commerce by Foliar.” (Id.) PFS alleged that it “sustained damages as a direct and proximate cause of Foliar’s tor-tious acts and unfair competition,” and “has been damaged and is likely to be further damaged as a result of these misrepresentations by the direct diversion of sales or by the lessening of the goodwill associated with its products.” (Id. at ¶¶ 14-15.)

Counts I through VIII of the counterclaim sought declaratory judgments regarding certain patents held by Foliar, and [1376]*1376sought to invalidate those patents.2 (Id. at ¶ 16.) Counts IX and X of the counterclaim alleged that Foliar and Ferrell, respectively, “intentionally, wrongfully and without any privilege and justification and in bad faith” interfered with PFS’ business relationships, engaged in unfair competition and deceptive trade practices, and made false and misleading representations about PFS’ products in violation of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a). (Id. at ¶¶ 17-18.) Count XI and XII alleged that Foliar and Ferrell, respectively, tortiously interfered with PFS’ business relationships “intentionally, willfully and with wanton disregard for PFS’s rights.” (Id. at ¶¶ 19-20.)

For the policy period of July 1, 2012 through July 1, 2013, Big Bend purchased an insurance policy from Nationwide with liability limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate for bodily injury and property damage liability (“Coverage A”), and $1,000,000 per person or organization and $2,000,000 aggregate for personal and advertising injury liability (“Coverage B”). (Id. at ¶ 22.) Coverage B provides as follows:

COVERAGE B PERSONAL AND ADVERTISING INJURY LIABILITY
1. Insuring Agreement
a. We will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of “personal and advertising injury” to which this insurance applies. We will have the right and duty to defend the insured against any “suit” seeking those damages. However, we will have no duty to defend the insured against any “suit” seeking damages for “personal and advertising injury” to which this insurance does not apply. We may, at our discretion, investigate any offense and settle any claim or “suit” that may result. But:
(1) The amount we will pay for damages is limited as described in Section III — Limits of Insurance; and
(2) Our right and duty to defend end when we have used up the applicable limit of insurance in the payment of judgments or settlements under Coverages A or B or medical expenses under Coverage C.
No other obligation or liability to pay sums or perform acts or services is covered unless explicitly provided for under Supplementary Payments — Coverages A and B.
b.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
133 F. Supp. 3d 1372, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125528, 2015 WL 5595523, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/foliar-nutrients-inc-v-nationwide-agribusiness-insurance-gamd-2015.