Zaveri v. Condor Petroleum Corp.

27 F. Supp. 3d 695, 2014 WL 2801322, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88119
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Louisiana
DecidedJune 19, 2014
DocketCivil No. 6:09-1606
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 27 F. Supp. 3d 695 (Zaveri v. Condor Petroleum Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Zaveri v. Condor Petroleum Corp., 27 F. Supp. 3d 695, 2014 WL 2801322, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88119 (W.D. La. 2014).

Opinion

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

C. MICHAEL HILL, United States ' Magistrate Judge.

Pending before the Court are the Motion for Partial Summary Judgment [rec. doc. 224] and Motion for Summary Judgment [rec. doc. 227] filed by Condor Petroleum Corporation (“Condor”). The plaintiff Partnerships and Partner/Investors (collectively “the Partnerships”), the Estate of Ashvin Zaveri (“the Estate”), Red Fox Run Corporation (“Red Fox”) and Za-veri Oil & Gas, Ltd. (“ZOG”) (collectively “the Zaveri plaintiffs”) have filed Opposition to both Motions [rec. docs. 231 and 232], to which Condor filed Replies, [rec. docs. 236 and 241]. A hearing on the Motions was held on May 28, 2014, and the Motions were taken under advisement.

For the reasons set forth below, the Motion for Partial Summary Judgment [rec. doc. 224] is GRANTED and Motion for Summary Judgment [rec. doc. 227] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. Accordingly, all of the remaining claims of the Partnerships and Partner/Investors (unjust enrichment, third party beneficiary and punitive damages) are dismissed; the Zaveri plaintiffs’ fiduciary duty, constructive trust, unjust enrichment, conversion and punitive damages claims are dismissed and the Zaveri plaintiffs’ breach of contract, breach of obligation of good faith and fair dealing, declaratory judgment, breach of implied contract and accounting claims remain pending.

BACKGROUND

This suit arises from an alleged contract between Condor and the late Ashvin Za-veri involving oil and gas development in the North Ossun Field in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. Funding for these activities was allegedly procured through the use of New York general partnerships, eight of which, as well as all investor partners in these eight partnerships, were joined pursuant to Court order.

The Estate of Zaveri and his alter ego corporations, Red Fox and ZOG, the Za-veri plaintiffs, allege the following claims against Condor: breach of contract, breach of implied contract, breach of obligation of good faith and fair dealing, breach of fiduciary duty, constructive trust, unjust enrichment, conversion, accounting, declaratory judgment, and punitive damages.

The Partnerships and Partner/Investors initially asserted numerous claims against Condor, all of which, except their unjust enrichment, third party beneficiary and punitive damage claims, have previously been dismissed.

The agree that Louisiana substantive law applies to this case.

LAW AND ANALYSIS

Standard on Motion for Summary Judgment

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(a) provides that summary judgment shall be granted “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact [699]*699and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”1

Rule 56(e) provides, in pertinent part, as follows:

If a party fails to properly support an assertion of fact or fails to properly address another party’s assertion of fact as required by Rule 56(c)2, the court may: ... (3) grant summary judgment if the motion and supporting materials — including the facts considered undisputed — show that the movant is entitled to it....

The Motions for Summary Judgment are properly made and supported. Thus, the plaintiffs may not rest upon the allegations in their pleadings, but rather must go beyond the pleadings and designate specific facts demonstrating that there is a genuine issue for trial. Celotex v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2553-54, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). However, metaphysical doubt as to the material facts, eoneluso-ry allegations, unsubstantiated assertions and those supported by only a scintilla of evidence are insufficient. Little v. Liquid Air Corp., 37 F.3d 1069, 1075 (5th Cir.1994).

Moreover, summary judgment is mandated against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish an essential element of that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial. Celotex, 106 S.Ct. at 2552. Thus, with respect to those issues on which the movant bears the burden of proof at trial, the movant need not produce evidence negating the existence of material fact, but may merely point out the absence of evidence supporting the non-movant’s case. Id. at 2553-2554; Duplantis v. Shell Offshore, Inc., 948 F.2d 187, 190 (5th Cir.1991).

I. Claims of the Partnerships

A. Unjust Enrichment

The Louisiana Supreme Court has set forth five elements for a cause of action based on unjust enrichment: (1) there must be an enrichment; (2) there must be an impoverishment; (3) there must be a connection between the enrichment and resulting impoverishment; (4) there must be an absence of ‘justification’ or ‘cause’ for the enrichment and the impoverishment; and (5) there must be no other remedy at law available to the plaintiff. Baker v. Maclay Properties Co., 648 So.2d 888, 897 (La.1/17/95). The plaintiff must prove each of the five elements. Carriere v. Bank of Louisiana, 702 So.2d 648, 658 (La.1996); Fagot v. Parsons, 958 So.2d 750, 752-753 (La.App. 4th Cir.2007).

Condor argues that the Partnerships cannot satisfy the fifth element and, therefore, summary judgment on their unjust [700]*700enrichment claim must be granted.3 The Partnerships respond, arguing that their unjust enrichment claim should survive under this Court’s procedural pleading rule, Rule 8, F.R.C.P., which allows alternative claims to be pled.

Louisiana Civil Code article 2298 provides in pertinent part:

A person who has been enriched without cause at the expense of another person is bound to compensate that person. The term “without cause” is used in this context to exclude cases in which the enrichment results from a valid juridical act or the law. The remedy declared here is subsidiary and shall not be available if the law provides another remedy for the impoverishment or declares a contrary rule.

Accordingly, under Article 2298, the remedy of unjust enrichment is “subsidiary” in nature, and “shall not be available if the law provides another remedy.” Walters v. MedSouth Record Management, LLC, 38 So.3d 243, 244 (La.2010) citing Carriere v. Bank of Louisiana, 702 So.2d 648, 671 (La.1996) (on rehearing). Thus, “the unjust enrichment remedy is only applicable to fill a gap in the law where no express remedy is provided.” Walters, 38 So.3d at 244. Stated differently, “where there is a rule of law directed to the issue, an action must not be allowed to defeat the purpose of said rule.” Carriere, 702 So.2d at 657.

“The existence of a ‘remedy’ which precludes application of unjust enrichment does not connote the ability to recoup your impoverishment by bringing an action ... [i]t merely connotes the ability to bring the action or seek the remedy.” Carriere, 702 So.2d at 673 (on rehearing).

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Bluebook (online)
27 F. Supp. 3d 695, 2014 WL 2801322, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88119, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zaveri-v-condor-petroleum-corp-lawd-2014.