Hercules Inc. v. Dynamic Export Corp.

71 F.R.D. 101, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15664
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedApril 8, 1976
DocketNo. 75 Civ. 319 (JMC)
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 71 F.R.D. 101 (Hercules Inc. v. Dynamic Export Corp.) 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
Hercules Inc. v. Dynamic Export Corp., 71 F.R.D. 101, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15664 (S.D.N.Y. 1976).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

CANNELLA, District Judge:

This is a motion pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1) and (6), of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, for judgment dismissing the counterclaims brought by defendant Dynamic Export Corporation [“Dynamic”] and H. Mottahedan & Company [“HMC”], additional plaintiff on the counterclaims. The fifth, sixth and seventh counterclaims are dismissed as to HMC; in all other respects the motion is denied.

FACTS

■ In their complaint plaintiffs allege that on January 1, 1969, an agreement was entered into between plaintiff Hercules Incorporated [“Hercules”] and Dynamic whereby Hercules agreed to appoint the defendant distributor of certain of its chemical products in Iran and Dynamic agreed to use its best efforts to develop and increase the sale of those products there. The chemicals involved were technical Toxaphene, Toxa-phene 90% solution and Hercules’ trademarked Toxaphene-DDT 4:2 formulation. Under the distributorship agreement, sales of these chemicals to Dynamic were made by plaintiff Hercules International Trade Corporation [“HITCO”] on behalf of Hercules.

On December 28, 1973, January 21, 1974 and February 7, 1974, insecticide having a [104]*104total value of $196,958.391 was allegedly sold to Dynamic pursuant to the agreement and delivered according to its instructions. This amount, less commission and credits, has never been tendered by defendant and is presently due and owing to Hercules and HITCO, due demand having been made. Plaintiffs sue herein to recover this sum. Jurisdiction is founded upon diversity of citizenship.2

In its answer, Dynamic admits execution of the distributorship agreement and receipt of 70,000 gallons of Toxaphene insecticide between December 1973 and February 1974. It alleges, however, that in executing the above agreement and at all times thereafter, Dynamic, with plaintiffs’ knowledge, was acting on HMC’s behalf. In fact, the affidavits and letters submitted by plaintiffs as well as defendant indicate that HMC actively participated in all of the transactions alleged herein. On this basis, HMC is joined as additional plaintiff on the counterclaims, in which it is affirmatively alleged that the transactions sued upon actually involved plaintiffs’ offer to sell and Dynamic and HMC’s agreement to purchase 194,500 gallons of Hercules’ Toxaphene products. This agreement is evidenced by correspondence among the parties exchanged between the dates of August 30, 1973 and November 30, 1973. Thus, the delivery of only 70,000 gallons is said to have constituted a breach of this contract and resulted in damage to both HMC and Dynamic. These allegations form the basis for counterclaims one through four.

Dynamic further alleges that the distributorship agreement, as modified by HIT-CO’s letter dated October 17, 1973,3 contained the following provisions:

a) HMC was to receive its Toxaphene in red, white and red colored drums carrying the Hercules label and emblem. Such drums were not to be used to meet the requirements of third parties;

b) Hercules would increase the price of Toxaphene/DDT 4:2 formulation to third parties in Iran by a minimum of ten percent (10%) and pay HMC and Dynamic one-half of the mark-up;

c) Hercules would pay Dynamic and HMC a commission of five percent (5%) when sales of technical Toxaphene and Tox-aphene 90% solution were made directly to third parties by Hercules.

Each of the above provisions has allegedly been breached by plaintiffs, such breaches forming the basis for the fifth through seventh counterclaims.

DISCUSSION

Is Dynamic the proper party plaintiff on the counterclaims?

The first issue raised by plaintiffs on this motion is whether the counterclaims are properly raised by Dynamic. Of course, under Rules 13(a) and (b), Fed.R.Civ.P., a defendant may by way of counterclaim in a pending action assert any and all claims that he has against the plaintiff. See Montecatini Edison, S.P.A. v. Ziegler, 159 U.S.App.D.C. 19, 486 F.2d 1279 (1973). Plaintiffs maintain, however, that Dynamic is not the real party in interest on the coun[105]*105terclaims and is for that reason barred from asserting them.4

A brief examination of Rule 17(a),. Fed.R.Civ.P. and the substantive law of New York will suffice to dispose of this' argument. The Rule states that “[e]very action shall be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest. ... [A] party with whom or in whose name a contract has been made for the benefit of another . . . may sue in his own name . . . .” Professor Moore has stated that this simply means that “[a]n action shall be prosecuted in the name of the party who, by the substantive law, has the right sought to be enforced.” 3A J. Moore, Federal Practice ¶ 17.07 at 221 (2d ed. 1974). Where, as here, no federal right is involved, the law to be applied is state substantive law. Dixie Portland Flour Mills, Inc. v. Dixie Feed & Seed Co., 382 F.2d 830, 833 (6th Cir. 1967); 3A J. Moore, Federal Practice ¶ 17.07 at 224 (2d ed. 1974). New York law allows an action on a contract made in the name of an agent to be brought either by the principal or the agent. Weniger v. Union Center Plaza Associates, 387 F.Supp. 849, 855 (S.D.N.Y. 1974) (Cannella, J.); Shirai v. Blum, 239 N.Y. 172, 182, 146 N.E. 194, 197 (1924); Ludwig v. Gillespie, 105 N.Y. 653, 11 N.E. 835 (1887); Considerant v. Brisbane, 22 N.Y. 389 (1860); Helman v. Dixon, 71 Misc.2d 1057, 338 N.Y.S.2d 139, 142-43 (Civil Court Queens County 1972). See N.Y.C.P.L.R. § 1004 (McKinney 1963). Since Dynamic was, at the very least, an agent for HMC in the transactions alleged herein, it is not disqualified by the real party in interest rule from asserting the instant counterclaims.

Is joinder of HMC proper under the federal rules?

Dynamic seeks to join HMC as an additional plaintiff on the counterclaims herein. Subdivision (h) of Rule 13, Fed.R.Civ.P. governs joinder of parties in situations such as the one presently before the Court. As originally promulgated in 1937 the Rule provided that additional parties might be brought in “as defendants as provided in these rules.” In 1966 it was amended to read as follows:

(h) Joinder of Additional Parties. Persons other than those made parties to the original action may be made parties to a counterclaim or cross-claim in accordance with the provisions of Rules 19 and 20.

This amendment makes clear that additional parties plaintiff as well as additional parties defendant to a counterclaim may be joined as long as they are joined in accordance with Rules 19 and 20.5 Lanier Business Prods. v. Graymar Co., 342 F.Supp. 1200, 1202-03 (D.Md.1972); 3 J. Moore, Federal Practice ¶ 13.39 at 13.-991 (2d ed. 1974).

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Bluebook (online)
71 F.R.D. 101, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15664, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hercules-inc-v-dynamic-export-corp-nysd-1976.