New England Surfaces v. E.I. Du Pont De Nemo, et al

Filing 920080923

Opinion

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var WPFootnote1 = 'Of the Federal Circuit, sitting by designation.\
'

var WPFootnote2 = 'NES\' damages expert John Berry estimated damages to NES as\
$6,347,000--the remaining nine months of profits that it had\
budgeted for sales of DuPont products in 2006. In addition, NES\
pointed to DuPont\'s $15,440,789 in sales in the New England region\
following the termination as sales that otherwise would have been\
made by NES if defendants had not violated their duties to NES. \
This number was significant because it closely hewed to what NES\
had budgeted in sales for the year; NES argued that this was proof\
that its budgeted profits were reliable.\
'

var WPFootnote3 = 'See, e.g., Lowe\'s Home Centers, Inc. v. General Elec. Co., 381\
F.3d 1091, 1096 (11th Cir. 2004); Morley-Murphy Co. v. Zenith\
Electronics Corp., 142 F.3d 373, 381-82 (7th Cir. 1998); General\
Auto Parts Co., Inc. v. Genuine Parts Co., 979 P.2d 1207, 1212\
(Idaho 1999); Szczepanik v. First S. Trust Co., 883 S.W.2d 648,\
649-50 (Tex. 1994).\
'

var WPFootnote4 = 'Because the claim based on a fair dealing covenant sounds in\
contract, arguably Delaware law governed (as the parties had agreed\
for contract claims) and, under Delaware law, arguably punitive\
damages are allowed based on nominal damages. See Marcus v. Funk,\
No. 87C-SE-26-1-CV, 1993 WL 141864, at *1 (Del. Super. Apr. 21,\
1993) (citing Restatement (Second) of Torts § 908 cmt. c (1979)). \
However, NES did not raise this argument either on motion for\
reconsideration, its briefs in this court, or at oral argument. \
'

var WPFootnote5 = 'Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. of Paragould v. Frantz, 842 S.W.2d 37, 40\
(Ark. 1992) (statute did not require agreement to refer to a fixed\
location in state); Crone v. Richmond Newspapers, Inc., 384 S.E.2d\
77, 80-81 (Va. 1989) (statute requires merely that "the business\
transacted" have a "nexus" to Virginia). \
'

var WPFootnote6 = 'Compare Tele-Save Merchandising Co. v. Consumers Distributing Co.,\
Ltd., 814 F.2d 1120 (6th Cir. 1987) (choice of law provision\
applying law of New Jersey precluded application of Ohio Business\
Opportunity Plans Act even though Ohio Act had explicit no-waiver\
provision) with Modern Computer Sys., Inc. v. Modern Banking Sys.,\
Inc., 858 F.2d 1339, 1342-45 (8th Cir. 1988) (agreement to apply\
Nebraska law to franchise agreement would not abrogate franchisee\'s\
right to protection under Minnesota Franchise Act). \
'

var WPFootnote7 = 'Restatement, supra, § 187 cmt. g ("[A] fundamental policy may be\
embodied in a statute ... which is designed to protect a person\
against the oppressive use of superior bargaining power."); see\
also Grand Light & Supply Co., Inc. v. Honeywell, Inc., 771 F.2d\
672, 677-78 (2d Cir. 1985) (purpose of Connecticut Franchise Act to\
"prevent a franchisor from taking unfair advantage of the relative\
economic weakness of the franchisee").\
'

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