TOULOUSAINE De DIST. v. TRI-STATE SEED

520 N.W.2d 210, 2 Neb. Ct. App. 937
CourtNebraska Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 5, 1994
DocketA-93-031, A-93-871
StatusPublished

This text of 520 N.W.2d 210 (TOULOUSAINE De DIST. v. TRI-STATE SEED) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
TOULOUSAINE De DIST. v. TRI-STATE SEED, 520 N.W.2d 210, 2 Neb. Ct. App. 937 (Neb. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

520 N.W.2d 210 (1994)
2 Neb. App. 937

TOULOUSAINE de DISTRIBUTION ET DE SERVICES, Appellant,
v.
TRI-STATE SEED AND GRAIN, Appellee.
TOULOUSAINE DE DISTRIBUTION ET DE SERVICES, Appellant,
v.
Clifford E. OLSON, Doing Business as Tri-State Seed and Grain, Appellee.

Nos. A-93-031, A-93-871.

Court of Appeals of Nebraska.

July 5, 1994.

*211 Michael S. Mostek, Robert J. Kmiecik, and Jeffrey L. Thomas, of McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp, P.C., Omaha, for appellant.

James D. Owens, Benkelman, for appellees.

SIEVERS, C.J., and CONNOLLY and HANNON, JJ.

HANNON, Judge.

Toulousaine de Distribution et de Services, a French company, sought to register in Nebraska a judgment that it had obtained in New York State against Tri-State Seed and Grain. These two related cases test the validity of that judgment as a personal judgment against Clifford E. Olson, a Nebraska resident. By proceeding in a manner which will be outlined later, the trial court held that Olson was not personally liable on that judgment, because that judgment was obtained only against Tri-State Seed and Grain, and granted Olson a permanent injunction which prevented Toulousaine from enforcing that judgment against Olson or his property. In case No. A-93-031, we conclude that the judgment was against Olson, notwithstanding the name used for the defendant, and reverse the trial court's judgment and remand the cause with directions. We affirm the dismissal of case No. A-93-871.

In case No. A-93-031, Toulousaine sought to register a New York judgment in Nebraska. On November 24, 1992, the court registered *212 the judgment against Tri-State Seed and Grain without Olson's answering or otherwise objecting to the registration. The court also, however, permanently enjoined Toulousaine from executing the judgment against property of Olson.

After the permanent injunction was entered, Toulousaine instituted a second proceeding in New York to amend the original New York judgment by substituting "Clifford E. Olson, d/b/a Tri-State Seed & Grain" as the defendant, rather than "Tri-State Seed & Grain" alone. The New York court did so, and Toulousaine then commenced another action for registration of foreign judgment, seeking to register that judgment in Nebraska. This action is case No. A-93-871 in this court. Olson filed an answer in No. A-93-871 in which he alleges that the order in case No. A-93-031 was res judicata to the later action, that his name was never mentioned in the arbitration proceeding which is the basis for the New York judgment, that the New York court was without jurisdiction to grant the relief requested, and that the action constitutes a collateral attack on the previous action. Olson also sought a temporary and permanent injunction against the execution of the judgment against Olson's property and obtained a temporary restraining order. Ultimately, both parties filed motions for summary judgment. The court granted Olson a summary judgment dismissing case No. A-93-871 with costs taxed to Toulousaine.

The parties filed a motion, which we granted, to have these cases consolidated for appeal. We conclude that Olson was doing business as Tri-State Seed and Grain, that the judgment was valid against him personally, and that the permanent injunction in case No. A-93-031 should not have been granted. Because we must reverse the judgment in case No. A-93-031 and remand the cause with directions to dissolve the injunction and allow the judgment to be enforced against Olson personally, the errors assigned in case No. A-93-871 become moot. The dismissal of case No. A-93-871 is affirmed.

FACTS

The judgment against Tri-State Seed and Grain was recovered in the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Olson did not answer or otherwise dispute the jurisdiction of the New York court over Tri-State Seed and Grain, and Olson did not appeal from the order of the trial court in case No. A-93-031 when it registered the foreign judgment. Under these circumstances, the facts are immaterial regarding the validity of the judgment, but they are nonetheless relevant to determining whom the judgment is against.

The evidence in case No. A-93-031 concerning the motion for a permanent injunction is the court file (introduced without objection), the deposition of Olson containing documents, and an affidavit of Toulousaine's attorney with certain documents attached. This evidence shows that Seed-link, a seed brokerage company out of Canada, contacted Olson in an effort to acquire certified Piper Sudan hayseed for Toulousaine. On May 14, 1990, Olson agreed to sell Piper Sudan seed to Toulousaine via Seed-link. A confirmation of the agreement was sent to "Tri-State Seed & Grain" at "Box 12[,] Haigler, Nebraska, 69030," Olson's home address. On May 24, Olson contracted with Benedict Palen, Jr., in order to purchase the certified Piper Sudan seed to cover the Toulousaine contract. Olson signed a confirmation of this agreement under the name of an entity called Tri State Seed Grain, Inc., with an address of P.O. Box 12, Haigler, Nebraska, 69030, and a phone number of (308) 297-3283, Olson's home phone number.

In the fall of 1990, Olson discovered that Palen would not be able to deliver the seed. Olson filed a claim against Palen, but did not recover because Palen went into bankruptcy. Olson thereafter notified Seed-link that he could not deliver the seed to Toulousaine. Toulousaine subsequently demanded arbitration with the American Arbitration Association. The record does not establish Tri-State Seed and Grain's obligation to submit to arbitration in New York, but the attorney that is currently representing Olson submitted a brief on behalf of Tri-State Seed and Grain in those proceedings.

The association found in favor of Toulousaine, and Toulousaine filed a petition to confirm the arbitrators' award in the Supreme Court of New York, that is, to obtain a *213 judgment based on the award. Notice of that action was mailed to "Tri-State Seed & Grain[,] c/o Clifford Olsen [sic]" at "Rural Route[,] Haigler, Nebraska 69030." The affidavit of service indicated that a copy of the notice of petition was given to "Belva E. Olson," the spouse of Clifford, by the sheriff at "RR, Haigler, Nebraska." On July 15, 1992, the Supreme Court of New York entered a judgment in favor of Toulousaine against "Tri-State Seed & Grain" for $62,059.03. Toulousaine sought to register that judgment.

Olson asserted that as a sole proprietor he had never done business as "Tri-State Seed & Grain," but that he had only done business under the name of "Tri-State Seed & Grain Company" or "Tri-State Seed Company." Olson testified that he had never incorporated any of these businesses.

On November 24, 1992, the district court for Dundy County registered the judgment against Tri-State Seed and Grain. After specifically finding that there "is no evidence that Clifford Olson or Cliff Olson ever held himself out to be doing business as Tri-State Seed and Grain and in fact that is specifically denied," it permanently enjoined Toulousaine from executing the judgment against Olson. Toulousaine filed a motion for reconsideration or a new trial, which was denied, and subsequently perfected this appeal.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

An action for injunction sounds in equity. County of Dakota v. Worldwide Truck Parts & Metals, 245 Neb.

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520 N.W.2d 210, 2 Neb. Ct. App. 937, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/toulousaine-de-dist-v-tri-state-seed-nebctapp-1994.