Halliburton Co. v. Texana Oil Co., Inc.

471 F. Supp. 1017, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11822
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedJune 8, 1979
DocketCiv. A. 78-K-689
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 471 F. Supp. 1017 (Halliburton Co. v. Texana Oil Co., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Halliburton Co. v. Texana Oil Co., Inc., 471 F. Supp. 1017, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11822 (D. Colo. 1979).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

KANE, District Judge.

This is a diversity action brought to collect on a promissory note in the amount of $10,160.22 executed on January 1, 1973 by defendant Texana Oil Company, Inc. (“Texana”) in favor of plaintiff. This note was signed on behalf of Texana by defendant William O. Callaway as president and by James E. Callaway as vice-president. In addition to executing this note for Texana, defendants William and James Callaway personally guaranteed the note in their individual capacities. This matter is before the court on plaintiff’s motion for judgment on the pleadings against defendant James Callaway pursuant to F.R.Civ.P. 12(c). Briefs and numerous affidavits have been submitted and the motion is now ripe for determination.

*1018 Plaintiff alleges that Texana has defaulted on the note, that demand for payment was made upon defendant James Callaway, and that despite this demand James Calla-way has refused to pay the amount due under the guaranty. In his answer, James Callaway has admitted all the factual allegations in the complaint but asserts that this court does not have personal jurisdiction over him. Thus, the only questions before the court at this time are whether James Callaway’s execution of the note and personal guaranty was sufficient under the Due Process clause to justify the exercise of personal jurisdiction over him pursuant to Colorado’s “long arm statute,” § 13-1-124, C.R.S.1973; and if so, whether plaintiff is entitled to a judgment on the pleadings as to defendant James Callaway.

I JURISDICTION

It is well settled that where federal jurisdiction is based upon diversity of citizenship as in the instant case, personal jurisdiction “is determined in accordance with the law of the state where the court sits, with ‘federal law’ entering the picture only for the purpose of deciding whether a state’s assertion of jurisdiction contravenes a constitutional guarantee.” Arrowsmith v. United Press International, 320 F.2d 219, 223 (2nd Cir. 1963); accord, Litvak Meat Company v. Baker, 446 F.2d 329, 331 (10th Cir. 1971). Thus, the question of personal jurisdiction over defendant James Callaway must be examined under Colorado’s long arm statute which provides in its pertinent part:

§ 13-1-124 Jurisdiction of courts. (1) Engaging in any act enumerated in this section by any person, whether or not a resident of the state of Colorado, either in person or by any agent, submits such person, and if a natural person his personal representatives to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state concerning any cause of action arising from:
(a) The transaction of any business within this state; * * *

The legislative intent of Colorado’s long arm statute is to exert jurisdiction over non-residents to the fullest extent permitted under the Due Process clause of the federal constitution. Mr. Steak, Inc. v. District Court, Colo., 574 P.2d 95, 96 (1978); Safari Outfitt’rs v. Superior Court, 167 Colo. 456, 448 P.2d 783 (1968).

In this motion plaintiff asserts that James Callaway’s guaranty constitutes sufficient minimum contacts under Colorado law for this court to assert jurisdiction over him. On the other hand, James Callaway argues that since the note and guaranty were executed by him in Texas where he is domiciled, there is an absence of sufficient contacts with Colorado.

In determining whether Colorado has sufficient minimum contacts or substantial connection with the promissory note and guaranty signed by James Callaway, it is necessary to look at the particular facts surrounding the transaction.

From the uncontroverted facts set forth in various affidavits, it has been established that James Callaway is a domiciliary of Texas and vice-president, director and fifty per cent (50%) shareholder of Texana, a Colorado corporation. It has been further established that prior to the execution of the promissory note, Texana became indebted to plaintiff for services rendered by plaintiff in connection with an oil well located in Texas. In addition to its rights under the contract for services, plaintiff had the right to enforce a mechanic’s and materialman’s lien against the Texana oil well and certain other oil interests owned by Texana in Texas.

Defendant William Callaway, president, director and fifty per cent (50%) shareholder of Texana, contacted plaintiff in an effort to persuade it to forebear from enforcing its lien rights in connection with the debt. William Callaway asked plaintiff if it was willing to make alternative arrangements for payment of this debt. As a result of this request from William Callaway, plaintiff agreed to accept payment for one-half of the debt and to accept a promissory note for the remaining half on the condition that defendants William and James Calla-way personally guaranty the note.

*1019 In his affidavit, William Callaway states that he was in Colorado at the time of these negotiations with plaintiff. He further states that while he was in Colorado, he had several telephone conversations with defendant James Callaway in Texas regarding the promissory note and personal guaranties.

The note and personal guaranty was signed by William Callaway in Denver. These documents were then mailed to James Callaway in Texas in order to obtain his signature as had been agreed upon in the Denver negotiations. James Callaway has admitted that he signed the note and personal guaranty in Texas. Furthermore, in connection with the execution of the note, James Callaway delivered his personal financial statement to plaintiff.

In exchange for the partial payment made by Texana and the execution and delivery of the note with the personal guaranties for the remainder of the debt, plaintiff released all its rights to mechanic’s and materialman’s liens against Texana’s oil interests in Texas.

Thus, it is clear from these uncontroverted facts that the transaction forming the basis of this action was shaped by the Denver negotiations between William Calla-way and plaintiff as well as the telephone conversations between William Callaway in Colorado and James Callaway in Texas. The agreement to execute the note and personal guaranties was entered into in Colorado. While not physically in Colorado during these negotiations, James Callaway did however, participate in critical telephone conversations in which he agreed to execute his personal guaranty. Without this guaranty, plaintiff would not have released its lien rights in Texas. By having engaged in these telephone conversations, James Callaway transacted business within Colorado and caused important business consequences in this state within the test set forth by the Colorado Supreme Court in Van Schaack & Co. v. District Court,

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Bluebook (online)
471 F. Supp. 1017, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11822, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/halliburton-co-v-texana-oil-co-inc-cod-1979.