Spark Energy Gas, LP v. Toxikon Corp.

864 F. Supp. 2d 210, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68194, 2012 WL 1802313
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedMay 16, 2012
DocketCivil Action No. 11-11452-JGD
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 864 F. Supp. 2d 210 (Spark Energy Gas, LP v. Toxikon Corp.) 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
Spark Energy Gas, LP v. Toxikon Corp., 864 F. Supp. 2d 210, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68194, 2012 WL 1802313 (D. Mass. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION AND ORDER ON DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS

DEIN, United States Magistrate Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The plaintiff, Spark Energy Gas, LP (“Spark” or “Plaintiff’), provides natural gas services to retail customers. On May 8, 2007, Spark entered into a fixed-price contract to supply natural gas to the defendant Toxikon Corporation (“Toxikon” or “Defendant”) during the period June 1, 2007 through May 31, 2010, and on May 9, 2007 Spark entered into a fixed-price contract to supply natural gas to Toxikon during the period June 1, 2010 through May 31, 2012. Both contracts were negotiated and signed by Patriot Energy Group, Inc. (“Patriot”) on behalf of Toxikon pursuant to an Appointment of Agent dated May 8, 2007, whereby Toxikon appointed Patriot its agent.

It is undisputed that Toxikon refused to accept the gas under the second contract beginning on or about August 2010, contending that the price charged was excessive based on market rates. Spark brought suit against Toxikon in Texas State Court on February 8, 2011 to collect amounts it claims are due under the gas contract (the “collection case”). Toxikon removed the collection case to federal court in Texas, and then sought to have the case either dismissed or transferred to Massachusetts. During jurisdictional discovery in Texas, Toxikon contends that it learned that Patriot had failed to disclose that it was the agent for Spark when it agreed to be Toxikon’s agent. Toxikon further asserts that it never would have entered into the gas supply contract with Spark which Patriot had negotiated on its behalf if it had known of Patriot’s undisclosed loyalty to Spark.

Toxikon then brought suit in the Massachusetts Superior Court against Patriot and Spark, alleging, inter alia, that Patriot had breached its fiduciary duties owed to Toxikon as its agent, and seeking rescission of its Appointment of Agent agreement with Patriot and rescission of its gas supply agreement with Spark. The Texas federal court thereafter allowed Toxikon’s motion to transfer Spark’s collection case to Massachusetts. As a result, there is presently pending the instant collection case in this court between Spark and Toxikon, and the Massachusetts Superior Court action brought by Toxikon against Spark and Patriot (the “State Court Action”).

This matter is presently before the court on “Defendant Toxikon’s Motion to Stay Proceedings or Alternatively, to Dismiss” (Docket No. 37). By its motion, Toxikon is seeking a stay of this action, or alternatively, a dismissal of this action in favor of the pending Massachusetts State Court Action, pursuant to the abstention-like doctrine established by the Supreme Court in Colorado River Water Conservation Dist. v. United States, 424 U.S. 800, 96 S.Ct. 1236, 47 L.Ed.2d 483 (1976) (“Colorado River ”). Under that doctrine, federal courts may decline jurisdiction in favor of parallel state litigation “for reasons of wise judicial administration,” but only in “exceptional” cases. Colorado River, 424 U.S. at 818, 96 S.Ct. at 1246. For all the reasons detailed below, while there is overlap between some of the issues presented in both cases, this court finds that this is [214]*214not an “exceptional” case. Therefore, Toxikon’s motion to stay or to dismiss is DENIED.

II. STATEMENT OF FACTS1

The Parties

Defendant Toxikon is a product and materials testing laboratory that is incorporated in Massachusetts and maintains a usual place of business in Bedford, Massachusetts. (Compl.lffl 1, 3). Toxikon relies on natural gas to operate its facilities in the Commonwealth. (Id. ¶ 3). Plaintiff Spark is a partnership, which is organized under the laws of the State of Texas, and maintains a principal place of business in Houston, Texas. (Pet. ¶ 2). Spark is in the business of selling natural gas and related services to retail customers, including customers in Massachusetts. (Id. ¶ 8; Compl. ¶ 4(b)).

As described above, the present litigation arises out of a contract for the supply of natural gas, which a third-party, Patriot, entered into with Spark on Toxikon’s behalf. Patriot, like Toxikon, is a Massachusetts corporation that maintains its usual place of business within the Commonwealth. (Comply 2(a)). Patriot is engaged in the business of representing gas supply companies for the purpose of selling natural gas and related services to natural gas users in Massachusetts. (Id. ¶ 4(a)).

The Alleged Relationship Between Patriot and Spark

Toxikon claims that in about late 2006 or early 2007, Spark and Patriot entered into a contract pursuant to which Spark retained Patriot as its agent to locate and solicit potential customers for Spark in Massachusetts, and to assist Spark in consummating agreements with those customers for the purchase of natural gas from Spark. (Compl.lffl 5-8). The contractual arrangement between Patriot and Spark was deemed to be confidential. (Id. ¶¶ 5, 8). Consequently, Patriot was prohibited from disclosing the existence of its relationship with Spark to others. (Id. ¶¶ 8, 11).

Allegedly, the contract between Patriot and Spark has remained in effect at all times relevant to this case. (See id. ¶ 9). Toxikon claims that Patriot earns substantial commissions for completing deals between Spark and natural gas users in Massachusetts. (Id. ¶ 7).

Toxikon’s Agreements with Patriot and Spark

Toxikon alleges that during the time period from about February 2007 through May 2007, Patriot repeatedly solicited business from Toxikon without revealing its relationship with Spark. (Id. ¶ 10). Specifically, according to Toxikon, Patriot represented that if Toxikon hired Patriot as its agent, Patriot would evaluate the natural gas market, investigate companies in the business of supplying natural gas to end users, and present alternative proposals to Toxikon so that it could obtain natural gas under the most advantageous terms and at the most competitive prices. (Id. ¶ 11). In addition, Patriot allegedly assured Toxikon that it was an independent agent, and that it would perform its work with the utmost loyalty and good faith in order to obtain the best possible deal for Toxikon with respect to the purchase of natural gas. (Id.). However, Pa[215]*215triot allegedly never disclosed the fact that it had a pre-existing contractual relationship with Spark and was working on Spark’s behalf. (Id. ¶¶ 10, 11). Consequently, Toxikon claims that Patriot’s conduct was knowingly false, misleading, unfair and deceptive. (Id. ¶ 11).

On May 8, 2007, Toxikon entered into an Appointment of Agent agreement with Patriot whereby Toxikon appointed Patriot “as its agent to act in its name, place and stead ... with respect to researching, negotiating, executing, terminating, rescinding and delivering, energy product and service agreements with competitive energy suppliers[,]” and granted Patriot “an exclusive right to, among other things, enter into an agreement(s) with competitive energy suppliers.” (PI. Ex. 1). As set forth therein, Toxikon also agreed, in relevant part, that

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Bluebook (online)
864 F. Supp. 2d 210, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68194, 2012 WL 1802313, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/spark-energy-gas-lp-v-toxikon-corp-mad-2012.