Raymond G. Schreiber Revocable Trust v. Estate of Knievel

984 F. Supp. 2d 1099, 109 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1575, 2013 WL 5940077, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157548
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedNovember 1, 2013
DocketNo. 2:05-cv-0574-LDG-PAL
StatusPublished

This text of 984 F. Supp. 2d 1099 (Raymond G. Schreiber Revocable Trust v. Estate of Knievel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Raymond G. Schreiber Revocable Trust v. Estate of Knievel, 984 F. Supp. 2d 1099, 109 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1575, 2013 WL 5940077, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157548 (D. Nev. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

LLOYD D. GEORGE, District Judge.

Following the denial of motions for summary judgment (# 96, # 134), this matter was tried to the court and, in lieu of presenting closing arguments, the parties submitted post-trial briefs (plaintiffs’ #219, defendants’ # 221, plaintiffs’ response # 222). Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 52, the court hereby renders this memorandum of decision, in which are incorporated its findings of fact and conclusions of law.

[1102]*1102This litigation arises out of claims related to intellectual property rights in the recorded media of late Robert Knievel’s (“Knievel”) daredevil and stunt performances, certain identified artworks, and his autobiography. The court notes that though the Raymond G. Schreiber Revocable Trust was substituted as a plaintiff following the death of Raymond Gary Schreiber, to avoid confusion, this opinion will continue to refer to Raymond Gary Schreiber (“Schreiber”) as an individual plaintiff.

Plaintiffs’ claims are principally based on a “Bill of Sale” dated December 1982, between Knievel and plaintiffs R. Gary Schreiber and Robert Schreiber purportedly assigning to plaintiffs rights to certain of Knievel’s performances (“film rights bill of sale”); a “Bill of Sale” dated December 1982, between Knievel and plaintiffs purportedly transferring and assigning all rights in listed works of fine art authored by Knievel (“art works bill of sale”); and an “Assignment” dated December 1982 between Knievel and plaintiffs transferring and assigning Knievel’s autobiography to plaintiffs (“autobiography assignment”). Plaintiffs’ claims for relief include a declaratory judgment determining the ownership rights to the intellectual property, breach of contract, breach of good faith and fair dealing, fraud, intentional interference with prospective contractual advantage and breach of duty, unjust enrichment, unfair business practices, constructive trust based on fraud, and conspiracy. Defendants assert counterclaims including declaratory judgment related to copyright filings, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, punitive damages, and deceptive trade practices.

The trial in this matter was conducted over 25 years after the above-identified principal transactions involving Knievel’s property were initiated, and after Knievel’s death in 2007. The court notes that over the years, and through this litigation, the opposing parties have attempted to strengthen their claims to the intellectual property in question. However, the ultimate question of the validity and enforceability of the original agreements was not addressed until trial, and it is that analysis that is the natural starting point for the court.

The parties assert separate positions regarding the formation of the three contracts. Plaintiffs assert that each contract is separately enforceable; defendants claim that the contracts were never meant to stand alone, but were part of an overall agreement related to an association between the parties for the development of Knievel’s artwork. In light of the court’s determination regarding the formation and enforceability of the individual contracts, it need not reach the issue of whether all of the claimed contracts were part of an overall agreement.

The autobiography assignment expressly states that it shall be interpreted, construed and enforced in accordance with Ohio law. The other two documents, the performance media agreement, and the art works assignment, contain no such choice of law provision. The parties do not dispute, however, that Ohio law is applicable to the interpretation of all of the contracts. Moreover, Nevada has adopted the substantial relationship test to determine the choice of law in a contract case. Consolidated Generator-Nevada v. Cummins Engine Co., Inc., 114 Nev. 1304, 1306, 971 P.2d 1251, 1253 (Nev.1998). The identified factors of that test — the place of contracting; the place of negotiations; the place of performance; the location of the subject matter; and the residence of the parties; favor a determination that Ohio law should be applied to the interpretation of the contracts.

[1103]*1103I. Film Rights Bill of Sale

The film rights bill of sale is captioned, “Bill of Sale.” However, the terminology of this document contains features of both a bill of sale and an assignment. The document identifies Knievel as the “Assignor,” and Gary Schreiber and Robert Schreiber (each mistakenly spelled “Schriber”) as the “Assignees.” Pursuant to the document, Knievel,

[F]or the sum of one dollar ($1.00) and other valuable consideration and paid, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, by these presents does hereby sell, assign, and transfer unto R. Gary Schriber and Robert Schriber (hereinafter “Assignees”), their respective heirs, executors, personal representatives, and assigns, the following described property:

The parties agree that to prove the existence of a contract, “the parties to the contract must consent to its terms, there must be a meeting of the minds of both parties, and the contract must be definite and certain.” Zelina v. Hillyer, 165 Ohio App.3d 255, 258-59, 2005-Ohio-5803, 846 N.E.2d 68, 70 (Ohio Ct.App.2005) (quoting Purdin v. Hitchcock, 1993 WL 19508, at *3 (Ohio Ct.App. Jan.21,1993)). “Essential to a valid contract formation is a meeting of the minds of both parties as to the essential terms of the contract, such that ‘a reasonable person would find that the parties manifested a present intention to be bound by an agreement.’ ” Zelina, 165 Ohio App.3d at 259, 2005-Ohio-5803, 846 N.E.2d at 70 (quoting Telxon Corp. v. Smart Media of Delaware, Inc., 2005-Ohio-4391, 2005 WL 2292800 at ¶ 40 (Ohio Ct.App.2005)). “Whether or not there has been a meeting of the minds is a question of fact to be determined from all the relevant facts and circumstances.” Jackson v. Bellomy, 2000 WL 329039, at *6 (Ohio Ct.App. March 30, 2000).

Similarly, “for an assignment to be valid, it must comply with the fundamental requirements of a contract.” Sanderson v. Ohio Edison Co., 1996 WL 629478, at *10 (Ohio Ct.App. Nov. 1, 1996). An assignment, no matter how informal, may be found when there is intent on the part of the assignor to assign the rights in question, an intent on the part of the assignee to be assigned the rights in question, and valuable consideration exchanged. Morris v. George C. Banning, Inc., 77 N.E.2d 372, 374 (Ohio Ct.App.1947).

A. Meeting of the Minds

Whether the film rights bill of sale is construed as a contract or an assignment, it suffers from a lack of a showing of the meeting of the minds of the named parties. During trial, Robert Schreiber, a named assignee in the document, testified that he personally “never entered into any agreement with Knievel.” Trial testimony of Robert C. Schreiber, p. 8, line 21. This testimony was not challenged. The court finds Robert Schreiber’s testimony highly credible, given that his testimony was against his own potential interest, as a named assignee and party to the litigation. Moreover, in his trial testimony, R.

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Zelina v. Hillyer
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984 F. Supp. 2d 1099, 109 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1575, 2013 WL 5940077, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157548, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/raymond-g-schreiber-revocable-trust-v-estate-of-knievel-nvd-2013.