Unitas Containers Limited v. Oilnet Limited

Filing 41

ORDER Determining Choice of Law and Requiring Additional Briefing re 21 Plaintiff's MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by Unitas Containers Limited,. Signed by Senior Judge James Lawrence King on 3/20/2012. (jw)

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U NI TED STATES DISTR I C OU RT CT SO UTH ERN D I STRI O F FLOR I CT DA M i iD i s on am vii Cas N o.11 21085- J e CV- LK UN I S CO NTAI ERS LI I TA N M TED , Pl ntf , ai if O I ET LI I LN M TED , D e e nt f nda . / ORDER DETERM I NG CHOI OF LAW AND REOUI NG ADDI ONK NI CE RI TI BRI N G O N PLA I FF' M OTION FO R SUM M A R Y JUD G M ENT EFI NTI S TH I M ATTER com es be or t Cour upon Pl ntf M oton f Sum m a y S f e he t ai ifs i or r J g n ( # ) De e da tsRe po e i Op ii n ( #28 ,a Pli ifsRe y ud me t DE 21 , f n n ' s ns n posto DE ) nd antf pl ( #3 ) The en,t Pa te s e a d tr nai n of da ge f Pli if Unia DE 2 . r i he ris e k ee mi to ma s or antf ts Cont ner Li ied' uncont t cl i f br h of m a ii e cont ac .Upon c ef ai s m t s es ed a m or eac rtm r t ar ul c i r i oft pl adi ,t Cour fndst addii onsde aton he e ngs he t i hat tonalbrefng i r r bef et i i s equied or he Courtca m ake a fnaldet m i ton ofdam ages n i er na i . l t e a ve syld a to Plitf Unt s Co ane s Li t d (ç t s', a n h bo - t e ci n, an if ia nt i r mie d a ' Uni ) Be mudin c r r to a lg st tDe e a tOin tLi td ($ 1e ' ,af r rBrts r a o po a i n, le e ha f nd n l e mie $ n t' o me iih Oi ) V igi l l nd cor aton, i i br ch of c t n m a ii e c r t f t l e of r n sa por i s n ea erai rtm ontac s or he eas itr da t n c n ane s (don ane s' f rt i e n to lta po to go s ( n e mo l a k o t i r l t t i r ' o he ntr a i na r ns r f od . 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Co v Kib 5 U. 1 2 ( 0 )(nay i n r nl oc lSe n r l yNorol Ry. . . r y, 43 S. 4, 7 2 04 a lzng c ieof1w b t e f de a a r l lw o saelw)He e Pl i ifUnia a g st t ho c a ewe n e r l dmiat a r tt a . r , antf t s r ue ha y i has i t nvoked an Engls c ce of l c aus cont i wihi t contac s I ih hoi - -aw l e a ned t n he r t . ndeed, Pl i ifUnia r f r t t pum or e c ce of l w cl e i isA m ended Com pl i a a ntf t s e e s o he t d hoi - -a aus n t ant nd a g sf risa i ai n i isRe y S po tngisM o i n f rSu r J g nt ( r ue o t pplc to n t pl up ri t to o mma y ud me . Am. Co . 8 DE #1 PlsRe y, # a 2 .nr s ns , f n nt l d a gu st t h mplj , 6) ' pl DE 32, t ) I e po e De e da Oin r e ha t e pr vi i i notavald c c of lw c ausebeca ei Sf l t s a et tt a ee e wil o s on s i hoi e- -a l us t tais o t t ha he gr m nt l bei t r r t da e o c di a c r nc wihEng ih 1w . .'( fsRe po e DE /31 n e p ee nd nf r e n c o da e t ls a . . De ' s ns , / , a 2 . nc r f c nsde ai nof h c ta t a t c oiep o sona is e,heCo t t ) Upo a e ul o i r to t e on r c s nd he h c r vii t s u t ur tndst tt l as cont a scont n ava i a e or ea eEngls c ce- -a cl us s ha he e e r ct ai ld nd nf c bl ih hoi of l w a e. S cl ie oflw ca e dr p e u tvey vai whe et un ryi ta a t s ho c - -a lus s a e r s mp i l ld r he de l ng r ns ci l on i f nda nt l it o ai a i ha a t r' fèc v Und nv ie sat lyd', n n, 48 s u me al n e ton lnc r ce .' on . e r tr L o s Lo do 1 y ' F.d1 , 295( 1hCi. 998 (uoi 3 285 1 1 t r 1 ) q tngSo:'. r o lyd', 6F.d1 3, 3 2( yv Cop.fL o s 99 2 35 1 6 2d Ci.1 9 ) I 1 2,te Unie SttsSu e Co ta tc ae t Br me Te tt r 9 3). n 97 h td ae prme ur riultd he e n s o det r i t r ona e s and enf c biiy of choi e pr s ons i i er tonal e m ne he eas bl nes or ea lt c ovi i n nt na i c nrcsM//Brme v Za aO fs r Co.4 U. 1( 9 ) Un rt Br me Tet o ta t. s e n . pat f-ho e , 07 S. 1 72 . de he e n s, choi pr si ar unr s ce ovi ons e ea onabl a une or bl onl w hen: e nd nf cea e y ( )t i f r to wa i uc d b fa o o re c i g;( t pli if 1 her o ma in s nd e y r ud r ve r a h n 2) he antf ef e tvel w oul bedeprved ofisda i cour beca eoft i fci y d i t yn t us he nconve enc ni e o un ar s o t c e f r m;( t f nd me t lunf i e s o t e r f ine s f he hos n o u 3) he u a n a am s f h c e lw wo dde i t pli tf ofar me y; ( )e o c me oft e hos n a ul prve he a n if e d or 4 nf r e nt h pr s onswoul c r ovii d ontavene a sr publcpolc t ong i iy. fI on 1 F.d a 1 9 ( ii Br me 40 U. a 1 -1 ) pc , 48 3 t 2 2 ctng e n, 7 S. t 5 8 . Tur ngt t choi pr son atis i t i t nt a t r i r ni o he ce ovi i s ue n he ns a m te , t eads:d- pr S-he operlw l a s al Engihlw a a yds t u e t sAg e me ts lbea j c tdb t no h lbe ls a nd n ipue nd rhi re n hal dudiae y he ne l i j iditono t EngihCo t. ( ta t !24, 1 - a 8 .Co tayt xcusve urs ci f he ls urs' Conrc, ' DE# 64, t ) nrr o D e e nt O inets c act i ton of t pr si t Cour fnds t t t pr son f nda l ' har erza i he ovi on, he ti ha he ovi i cl l os rbesEngls 1 ast 1w gove i t cont ac s I a ton, heCour fnds earypr c i ih aw he a m ng he r t . n ddii t ti t t nat e oft cont ac sa e s fci nty i e natonalast deem t c cepr son hat he ur he r t r ufi e l nt r i o he hoi ovi i pr um ptvel vald.Fi ly,t Cour fndst tt i t c ce pr son doe notf l es i y i na l he ti ha he nsant hoi ovi i s al w ihi a oft f ca egore oft Br t n ny he our t i s he emen Tes . Accor ngl t Cour fndst tt t di y, he t i ha he l as contact c ai a vald and enf c e Engls c ce- -a cl us e e r s ont n i or eabl ih hoi of lw a e. I .O ut t I s andi I s ofLaw ThatRequi Addii ng s ues re tonalBri eing i he a yzi f ei l t di ti cour m aycons de any r e t n nal ng or gn aw, he srct W t i r el vantm at ralor ei s ce,i l ng t tm ony,w het or nots it by a pary or adm i sbl unde t our nc udi es i her ubm ted t si e r he Fede alRul ofEvi r es dence. Tri dad Foundr t Fabri i v.M / K. S.Cam il 966 ' ni ' y t catng V A. la, F. 61 , 5 ( 1h Ci.1 92 ; R. V. 4 1 Exa e o s hs r e a er lva 2d 3 61 1 t r 9 ) FED. Cl P. 4.. mpls f uc ou c s r ee nt 4 s aut ,cas a ,and af t t es elw ûdavis s it by a t neys wih a t ough know l dge oft t ubm ted tor t hor e he f ei l .See e. ,Tri dad Foundr & Fabri i g, 966 F. a 61 -1 (nayzn or gn aw , g. ni y catn 2d t 5 6 a l i g a fdavis of m e be s of t Engls bar and Engls cas aw t det m i applcabl fi t m r he ih ih el o er ne i e Eng ih lw) ls a . Her des t Pl i if Unias cor e as eri , i bo h t Com pl i a t e, pie antf t ' r ct s ton n t he a nt nd he s ummay ud nt re g,ha Engihlw g venst s te, anifUnia fis oct r j gme b ifn t t ls a o r himatrPlitf ts alt ie t a s ngl aut iy w ih r pectt Engls l w . A s s o i e hort t es o ih a uch,t Cour has de er i t t he t t m ned ha a tona bret t ti udesr e enc t s ce on Engls 1 w i neces a y t addr s ddii l i sng ha ncl ef r e o our s ih a s sr o es t f lwi is soflw: 1 wh t rt la epa me t i ara ss ul belmie t he olo ng sue a ( ) ehe he e s y ns n re r ho d i td o t r plc me c t ofhec n a n r ;2 whehe t r parc t of her t r dc t i r he e a e nt oss t o t i e s ( ) t r he e i oss t eu ne on ane s s o dbec p dt t fi make vaueoft c n an r;a ( wh t rac r s ul h ul a pe o he ar r t l he o tie s nd 3) ehe ou t ho d consr a a bi tue n m guousc r ct pr s on agai tt dr t ? ont a ual ovii ns he afer Accor ngl ha ng consde e t Pari flngsa be ngot rwie a s , i i di y, vi i r d he tes' ii nd i he s dvied t s he e O RD ER ED ,ADJU D G ED ,and D ECR EED t tEngls 1 w govem st c r t r by ha ih a he ontac s a is i t a t s ue n he bove- t ed ac i s yl ton. I i f t rO RD ER ED ,A DJU DG ED ,and D ECREED asf l s: t s urhe olow Pl ntf SHALL s ts ement brefngon orbef eAprl20.ZO . ai if ubmi uppl al i i or i r 2. 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