Guay v. Ozark Airlines, Inc.

450 F. Supp. 1106
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJune 7, 1978
DocketCiv. A. 76-3218-MA
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 450 F. Supp. 1106 (Guay v. Ozark Airlines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guay v. Ozark Airlines, Inc., 450 F. Supp. 1106 (D. Mass. 1978).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

MAZZONE, District Judge.

The plaintiff, Paul A. Guay, commenced this action in two counts on August 30, 1976. Count I alleges the breach of an implied employment contract that the plaintiff would not be terminated except for a poor job performance and after reasonable warnings and notice. The plaintiff contends he was terminated solely due to his hair length and not for poor job performance. Jurisdiction is invoked under 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Count II is brought pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of *1108 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq.), and alleges sex discrimination in that the defendant mandated different hair lengths for male and female employees. Jurisdiction in Count II is invoked under 28 U.S.C. § 1343(4). 1 Service upon Ozark Airlines was effected though the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the statutory agent for purposes of service of process for corporations “doing business” within the Commonwealth. Mass.Gen.L'aws c. 223 § 37 and § 38. Such service, if valid under state law, is effective in this Court. F.R.Civ.P. 4(e), 4(d)(7).

The plaintiff is a male citizen of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the defendant, Ozark Airlines, Inc., is a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware with its principal place of business in the State of Missouri. The defendant is not a citizen of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The defendant has moved to dismiss this action pursuant to Rule 12(b) F.R. Civ.P. for lack of jurisdiction and insufficiency of process because the defendant is not doing business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The plaintiff has the burden of proving the facts necessary to establish this Court’s jurisdiction under Mass.Gen.Laws c. 223 § 37 and § 38. KVOS Incorporated v. Associated Press, 299 U.S. 269, 57 S.Ct. 197, 81 L.Ed. 183 (1936); Aro Manufacturing Co. v. Automotive Body Research Corporation, 352 F.2d 400 (1st Cir., 1965).

G.L. c. 223 § 38 provides:

“In an action against a foreign corporation, except an insurance company, which has a usual place of business in the commonwealth, or, with or without such usual place of business, is engaged in or soliciting business in the commonwealth, permanently or temporarily, service may be had in accordance with the provisions of the preceding section [37] relative to service on domestic corporations in general.” (Emphasis added)

The plaintiff argues four factors which, when considered cumulatively, sufficiently establish that Ozark Airlines does engage in or solicit business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Those factors are: the defendant flies charter flights into and out of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; the defendant maintained a bank account in the Commonwealth; the defendant caused tickets for travel on its flights to be sold in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and the defendant solicits business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through a toll-free “WATTS” number.

Dealing with these contentions seriatim, the Court finds the following facts:

(1) Charter flights.

During the years 1970-1976, Ozark Airlines flew a total of thirty-seven (37) charter flights in and out of Logan Airport in Boston. The great majority of these flights were chartered by professional sports teams. Five of those thirty-seven flights were from a single city to Boston and then a return to the city of origin. All of the contracts for all the charter flights were *1109 made outside of Massachusetts and were made with persons and entities that were residents of states other than Massachusetts. None of these charter flight contracts were made by or through a Massachusetts travel agency or any employee thereof. The defendant flew no scheduled flights into or out of Massachusetts during the years 1970-1976. In flying in and out of the Commonwealth on these charter flights, the defendant purchased fuel, and hired service facilities at the airport. It also paid landing fees at the airport. A total of $25,362.58 was spent in the years 1972-1976 for these various services. 2

(2) Maintaining a bank account.

During the years 1973-1976, Ozark Airlines maintained a bank account at the New England Merchants Bank in Boston solely for the purpose of settling accounts. The balance sheet of the New England Merchants Bank which contains undisputed statistical data reflecting deposits, withdrawals and closing monthly balances during the years 1973-1976 shows the following:

*1110

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Related

Glover v. Western Air Lines, Inc.
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450 F. Supp. 1106, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guay-v-ozark-airlines-inc-mad-1978.