MacChiavelli v. Shearson, Hammill & Co., Inc.

384 F. Supp. 21, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6289
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedOctober 15, 1974
DocketCiv. S-2593
StatusPublished
Cited by42 cases

This text of 384 F. Supp. 21 (MacChiavelli v. Shearson, Hammill & Co., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
MacChiavelli v. Shearson, Hammill & Co., Inc., 384 F. Supp. 21, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6289 (E.D. Cal. 1974).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

MacBRIDE, Chief Judge.

Armand Maechiavelli ' (hereafter plaintiff) an investor in stocks, files this complaint against Shearson, Ham-mill & Co. Incorporated (hereafter defendant), a stock brokerage firm and several Does, alleging two causes of action. Initially, it should be noted that there is no provision in the Federal statutes or Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for use of fictitious parties. The Ninth Circuit has consistently rejected the inclusion of “Does” in the complaint and we do the same here. Fifty Associates v. Prudential Insurance Co., 446 F.2d 1187 (9th Cir. 1970); Craig v. United States, 413 F.2d 854 (9th Cir. 1969); Molnar v. National Broadcasting Corporation, 231 F.2d 684 (9th Cir. 1956).

As a first cause of action, plaintiff here alleges generally a breach of contract arising from the relationship of plaintiff and defendant as customer-stockbroker and violation of Regulation T (12 CFR 220) dealing with margin requirements and withdrawal of funds from margin accounts. He alleges that defendant accepted plaintiff’s stock account on September 16 and 17, 1971, on a margin account basis; that defendant made margin maintenance calls on the account; and that defendant had agreed to manage plaintiff’s account with the condition that plaintiff could withdraw his account in any amount exceeding a 30 percent equity maintenance. The breach of contract claim is grounded in the allegation that defendant refused to allow plaintiff to withdraw the amount of $33,000.00 from his account and there *24 by damaged plaintiff in reputation and portfolio.

Plaintiff’s second cause of action actually encompasses several separate claims. Plaintiff alleges generally that defendant violated federal rules and regulations governing credit in stockholder accounts; acted on a confidential credit report in violation of law pertaining to credit reports ; employed fraudulent and manipulative methods and practices in notifying plaintiff as to liquidation due for maintenance ; submitted or released deceptive account reports to another brokerage house that was willing to accept plaintiff’s account; and, because of all these actions, hoped to generate additional income by forced liquidation, due to the poor investment grade securities contained in the account.

Jurisdiction is claimed under the Federal Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. § 78a et seq.) and under diversity of citizenship.

Defendant in lieu of answer has moved to stay proceedings and has petitioned for an order to compel arbitration pursuant to Title 9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq. of the Federal Arbitration Act. The case is here on that motion.

Title 9 U.S.C. § 3 provides as follows: “If any suit or proceeding be brought in any of the courts of the United States upon any issue referable to arbitration under an agreement in writing for such arbitration, the court in which such suit is pending, upon being satisfied that the issue involved in such suit or proceeding is referable to arbitration under such an agreement, shall on application of one of the parties stay the trial of the action until such arbitration has been had in accordance with the terms of the agreement, providing the applicant for the stay is not in default in proceeding with such arbitration.”

On September 17, 1971, plaintiff and defendant entered into a written contract entitled “Customer’s Margin Agreement,” paragraph 10 of which reads as follows:

“This agreement shall inure to the benefit of your successors and assigns, shall be binding on the undersigned, his heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, and shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York. Any controversy arising out of or relating to my account, to transactions with you for me or to this agreement or the breach thereof shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the rules, then in effect, of the American Arbitration Association or the Board of Governors of the New York Stock Exchange as I may elect. If I do not make such election by registered mail addressed to you at your main office within 5 days after demand by you that I make such election, then you may make such election. Judgment upon any award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.”

Neither party has attacked the validity of the “Customer’s Margin Agreement” or specifically paragraph 10, dealing with the arbitration of disputes. Therefore, the arbitration agreement is the only proper remedy between the parties as to disputes referable to arbitration in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 3.

Plaintiff in response, however, has raised four grounds in opposition to defendant’s motions. Plaintiff asserts that the motions should be denied because: (1) A letter of September 24, 1971, constitutes a superseding agreement between the parties which is not subject to the arbitration agreement of September 17, 1971; (2) Arbitration is waived by defendant’s delay; (3) Arbitration in this case would be in restraint of trade; and (4) If jurisdiction is proper under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, then no effect can be given to the arbitration agreement. Each of these grounds will be hereafter examined.

(1) DOES THE CONTRACT IN QUESTION REQUIRE ARBITRATION?

Plaintiff contends that although the “Customer’s Margin Agreement,” which *25 included the arbitration clause, was signed by plaintiff and defendant on September 17, 1971, a subsequent letter of September 24, 1971, constitutes a new agreement between the parties and is not subject to the September 17 agreement or arbitration clause. The September 24, 1971, letter was sent by one Joaquin P. Horton [apparently a representative of defendant] to one James J. Macchiavelli [apparently a manager of some of plaintiff Armand Macchiavelli’s accounts] . [See Addendum to this Opinion which sets out in their entirety the September 17, 1971, “Customer’s Margin Agreement” and the September 24, 1971, letter.]

Even if it could be said that the September 24, 1971, letter from Horton to James Macchiavelli rises to the level of a binding contract between plaintiff and defendant, there is nothing in the letter which could be construed as creating a new or superseding agreement as to the September 17,1971, margin agreement. At most, the September 24, 1971, letter clarifies terms and sets standards which the September 17, 1971, margin agreement gave defendant discretion to set.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
384 F. Supp. 21, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6289, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/macchiavelli-v-shearson-hammill-co-inc-caed-1974.