Specialized Transportation of Tampa Bay, Inc. v. Nestle Waters North America, Inc.

356 F. App'x 221
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedNovember 3, 2009
Docket09-12807
StatusUnpublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 356 F. App'x 221 (Specialized Transportation of Tampa Bay, Inc. v. Nestle Waters North America, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Specialized Transportation of Tampa Bay, Inc. v. Nestle Waters North America, Inc., 356 F. App'x 221 (11th Cir. 2009).

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Nestlé Waters North America, Inc. (“Nestlé”) appeals from a final judgment of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida in favor of Plaintiff Specialized Transportation of Tampa Bay, Inc. (“Specialized”). Nestlé appeals the district court’s orders denying it judgment as a matter of law, see Fed.R.Civ.P. 50, and a new trial, see Fed.R.Civ.P. 59. Nestlé also appeals the district court’s order awarding Specialized prejudgment interest. Having reviewed the parties’ briefs and the record, we affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

The claim that Nestlé appeals centered on an alleged oral agreement. Nestlé agreed to make Specialized whole for the start-up costs it expended in a “doubles” program in which Specialized would provide tandem trailer hauling services to Nestlé.

In 2004, Specialized commenced an action in Florida state court that was removed by Nestlé to federal court and subsequently dismissed. Specialized then commenced the instant action in 2006 in state court, which was also removed to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Both the 2004 and 2006 complaints sought relief for breach of an oral agreement (the “Services Agreement”) in which Specialized would provide Nestlé with shipping services for a term of three years. Over the course of the three years, Specialized would be able to recoup the start-up costs it spent in establishing the doubles program through the transportation rates charged to Nestlé. This alleged Services Agreement stated that if Nestlé terminated the contract early, it would pay Specialized’s start-up costs of *224 $585,000. In March 2008, the district court dismissed Specialized’s claim for breach of the Services Agreement because it was an oral agreement lasting beyond one year, and thus was unenforceable under Florida’s Statute of Frauds. See Fla. Stat. § 725.01.

Specialized then filed an amended complaint in April 2008, alleging — for the first time — the breach of another oral agreement (the “Reimbursement Agreement”). In the Reimbursement Agreement, the parties agreed to enter into a three-year written contract and that Nestlé would pay Specialized’s start-up costs if the parties failed to execute this written agreement. Specialized’s claim was tried before a jury on September 8-12, 2008, and the jury entered a verdict in favor of Specialized, finding the Reimbursement Agreement to be enforceable. According to the verdict, the total amount of damages awarded to Specialized was $544,529.33. Out of that sum, the amount of damages awarded for breach of the Reimbursement Agreement was $522,449.00. Nestlé filed post-trial motions for judgment as a matter of law and a new trial, which are the subject of this appeal. The district court denied these motions in April 2009. Later that month, the district court awarded Specialized $239,341.99 in prejudgment interest, which began accruing on May 1, 2003.

Nestlé’s theory of the case is that the claim for breach of the Reimbursement Agreement was merely an evolution of the previously dismissed claim for breach of the Services Agreement. That is, the Reimbursement Agreement was fabricated to get around the Statute of Frauds requirement. Nestlé relies on this theory for its claims on appeal.

First, Nestlé argues that the district court erred in denying its motion for a new trial because it improperly excluded from trial the 2004 and 2006 complaints that evidenced the “old” oral agreement (i.e., the Services Agreement). Second, Nestlé argues that the district court erred in denying a new trial because the jury instructions improperly shifted to Nestlé the burden of proving that Nestlé’s agent lacked authority to bind Nestlé and of proving the damages Specialized incurred as a result of Nestlé’s breach.

Alternatively, Nestlé argues that this Court should reverse the district court’s denial of Nestlé’s motion for judgment as a matter of law because (1) there was no meeting of the minds as to the amount of start-up costs; (2) the Reimbursement Agreement is an unenforceable agreement to agree; (3) the parties did not intend to be bound in the absence of a signed, written contract; and (4) the Reimbursement Agreement violates Florida’s Statute of Frauds because it lasts beyond one year.

Finally, Nestlé appeals the district court’s award of prejudgment interest because no demand for payment was made, and so there is no date from which to award interest.

II. STANDARDS OF REVIEW

A district court’s denial of a motion for new trial is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. Fondren v. Allstate Ins. Co., 790 F.2d 1533, 1534 (11th Cir.1986) (citation omitted). This Court will only reverse the district court’s rulings on the admissibility of evidence if the district court abused its discretion and the decision affected the complaining party’s substantial rights. Wood v. Morbark Indus., Inc., 70 F.3d 1201, 1206 (11th Cir.1995) (citation omitted); see also Judd v. Rodman, 105 F.3d 1339, 1341 (11th Cir.1997); Fed.R.Evid. 103(a).

The denial of a motion for judgment as a matter of law is reviewed de novo, and we apply the same standard used by the dis *225 trict court. Goldsmith v. Bagby Elevator Co., Inc., 513 F.3d 1261, 1275 (11th Cir. 2008) (citation omitted). A district court may grant judgment as a matter of law if it finds “that a reasonable jury would not have a legally sufficient evidentiary basis to find for the party on [an] issue.” Fed. R.Civ.P. 50(a)(1). We review the entire record and examine all evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, drawing all reasonable inferences in the nonmovant’s favor. Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Inc., 421 F.3d 1169, 1177 (11th Cir.2005). This Court does not assume the jury’s task of weighing conflicting evidence or assessing witness credibility. Id. (citation omitted). We must give credence to evidence supporting the non-movant, and give credence to that evidence favoring the “moving party that is uncontradicted and unimpeached.” Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133, 151, 120 S.Ct. 2097, 147 L.Ed.2d 105 (2000) (quotation and citation omitted).

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356 F. App'x 221, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/specialized-transportation-of-tampa-bay-inc-v-nestle-waters-north-ca11-2009.