Spooltech, LLC v. UPS Ground Freight, Inc. et al

Filing 26

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by District Judge Glen E. Conrad on 7/23/2012. (ssm)

I TH E U N I
N
TED STATES DI
STRI COU RT
CT
FOR THE W ESTERN DI
STRI OF VI NI
CT
RGI A
ROAN OK E DI I ON
V SI

SO LE HLC
P OTC ,L,

CLERK' OFFI U-S Dt .COURT
S
CE
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AT ROANOKE.
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FIED
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J 23 2 1
UL
02
JUL
BY:

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UPS GRO UN D FREI T, N C.
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FREI
GHTQUOTE. ,
COM
a
nd
VO RTECH AU TOM A TED TECHN OLOG I LLC,
ES,
DBA VO RTECH RO U TER S,

By: H o Gl n E.Conr
n. e
ad
Chi fU . Di t i tJ
e S. s rc udge

Dee ns
f nda t .
Thi c s i ve c ai sby a V igi a c pa a i tt e o he c pa e
s a e nvol s l m
r ni om ny ga ns hr e t r om ni s
sem m i f om t f ie de i r ofa r e . Fort r as s f t bel ,t c tw il
t
ng r he a l d lve y
out r
he e ons et orh ow he our l
gr ntt s l r sm oton t qua h s r c ofpr es .
a he ele '
i o s e vi e
oc s
1.

Backeround

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f ndmzs n hi s r
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eg quoe. m Fr i quot) and t h o t c oge ,
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utr Vorec .
s r ni mie abiiy porton. I a ) eg quot s
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a r porton. l a ) tc s w
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4
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t
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t h
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ontac a m gai t
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pr de s f t a por oft r e ,c us ng de tuc i n o t e pm e and da age t
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o

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t h. L t 5.
tch ee ma n he moun
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ton o ua h e vi e f oce s
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s ri ha
t c s i t oce s e v r a l d o ea he um
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il om ny n he

pr esi lofiebuidi wheet ofi sofVore h' rgitr da ta el ae ( ke
of sona fc l ng r he tce
tc s e se e gen r oc td. Doc t
No.14.
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r h 201 U
e
d he c i o hi our , s r i ha
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e usve y by f de all
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re t

( r c Ame me ) 49U. C.j1
Cama k
nd nt,
S.
4706.Alho hSpoole alge adifr n c us of
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tch le d fe e t a e
a tona i tVorec ( smpl sae1w brac ofc ta tcam) UPS a sre t trmoval
ci gans t h a i e tt a e h onrc li ,
se td ha e

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s r p r u s a t o 8 S. j 4 ()1, ih r v d s h t ii a to y e
r m ove t f r lc ti t a ton i l
e
d o ede a our f he c i nc udesa c a m a i i unde f der ll w a a her
l i rs ng
r e a a nd not

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lm
t n he i na upplme a j iditon
e a our,f he to
d
bermova ewiho t i l in oft lte cam.28U. C.j1 ( ( )
e bl t ut he ncuso he atr li
S. 441c)1.
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r a tr
ul
2, t c ie
i f n uppor of is m oton t quas s r c
t t
i o
h e vi e

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o s . Doc t
4.
ha a
y,he our onduce atlphoneco e e ewih
td ee
nfr nc t
t pa te a i s a or r die tng Spoole h t r pond t V orec s m oton t qua h a
he ri s nd s ued n de r c i
t c o es
o
t h'
i o s nd

ac or ngVorec a tonaltmei whiht rpl ( ke No.1 ) Subsque l Spoole
c di
t h ddii i n c o e y. Doc t
6.
e nty,
tch
tl isbre i oppostont t moton.( ke No.18. Vo tc t ntldisrpl bre .
ied t if n
ii o he i Doc t
) re h he ie t e y if
( ke No. ) Ac r ngt t pates bres J da Ulr apr s s r er lf ac of
Doc t 20. codi o he ri ' if, or n ey, oce s e v ,e t opy
t s
he ummonsa c an onJ nuay23,201 wihSuza neDe ux( ve , r e i s
nd omplit a r
2 t
n
ve De ux)a ec ptonit
att N e Ha ps r pr es i lofi e buidi i w hi h t of i sofJ Le r
he w m hie of sona tc
l ng n
c he fce
ohn ona d

Swe ne ll( ne , tc srgitr a ntael ae ( ke No.1 1) Vore h
e y,l Swee y) Vore h' e seed ge , r oc td. Doc t
8- . tc
as e t t tD e ux w a nota horz t a ce s r i e ofpr s on be l ofV orec a
s r s ha ve
s
ut i ed o c pt e v c
oce s
ha f
t h nd
f t ra s r st tSw e ne di not a s ilhasnot r ce ve pr ce s i t sc e Thus
ur he s e t ha
e y d , nd tl
, e i d o s n hi as .
,
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t ch ont nds
t h' te e eni e
oc s
ns f c e s
te
a
Spoolec doe no ne s a iy cont tV o t c s a s ri ,b i t d,a guest tV ore h
t h s t ce s rl
es r e h' s e tons ut nsea r
ha
tc
uli a e y r ei d pr es , e de e by t f c t tVor e h uli a el s c ed l a
tm t l ec ve oc s as vi nc d
he a t ha
t c tm t y e ur oc l
co e a fl t i t ntm o i t quas A c or ngl Spoolec a gues t f c t tis
uns l nd ied he ns a
ton o
h. c di y,
t h r
, he a t ha t
a t m pt d s r i e ofpr es m i htno ha t c c ly c m ple wih t r qui e e soft
te e e v c
oc s g
t ve e hni a l o i d t he e r m nt
he
l w i c e by V orec s tm e y r e ptofpr e s
a s ur d
t h' i l ec i
oc s .
The m aterhavi been f l br ef and t pari havi r
t
ng
uly i ed
he tes
ng eques ed t t courtr e
t hat he
ul
on t m oton based on t brefs t m ateri now rpe f di posii
he
i
he i , he t s
i or s ton.

II
.

Di
scuss on
i

V ore h' m o i t qua h tl i s a e cou ti consr a a m oton t dim i s f
t c s ton o s i ed n t t
r s
tued s
i o s s or

i ufiints vieofpr es unde Rul 1 b)5)oft Fe rlRulsofCi lPr ed e.(n
ns fce er c
oc s
r e 2( (
he dea e
vi oc ur d
l

rs vi amoi unde Rul 1 b)5)t pa t ma ngt sr c hast bur nof
e ol ng
ton
r e 2( ( ,he ry ki he evie he de

d mo srtn i v ldt wh n a o jcint s r iei ma e' Untd Sae v. e Ba De .
e n taig t aii e n be to o evc s d . ie tt s S a v v
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Coo.Ci lAci No. 06c
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tch' lvey r s o ve a ec ptonit t
pr esi lofi ebuidi nota horze t a e s r i ofpr e so be l ofVorec
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e
h
Pa tA)ofRul 4( ()c os-eee e Rul 4()1, c pr dest ta i viual
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m a be s v d w ih pr s by tf l i s a e l w f r s r ng a s m ons i a a ton br ug
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um
n n ci
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i c u t o g n rl u idcini t esaewh r ted src c u tslc tdo wh r s r iei
n o rs f e e a j rs ito n h tt e e h itit o r i o ae r ee ev c s
ma .'Fe R.Ci P.4()1 .I i undiput t tSpoole sdelver ofpr e st De
de' d. v. e( ) t s s ed ha
tch' i y
oc s o veux
f ie t co pl w ih t V igi a Code s di g r ng s r i ofpr es on f e g
a l d o m y t he r ni
e ons ove ni e v ee
oc s or i n

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or a i .
ve ,
tc g
ha e v c
ve
t l s ope

purua t Va Codej8. - whihpr dest tt oc s whihhasrac dt pes t
s nt o .
01288, c ovi ha d e s c
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t s r ct d t n he i
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uf i i nt lhough not

s r dora ce eda pr de i t sc ptr' Va Co Ann.j8. - ( et201 .l
eve
c pt s ovi d n hi ha e.' . de
01288 W s 2) n
supportoft s ar ent Spoolech ass st pr s obvi l reached V ort becaus
hi gum ,
t
ert hat oces
ousy
ech
e

v o t c e age l lc
r e h ng d oca ouns a t l d t i t n m oton t qua h wihi s ve e da o t
el nd i e he ns a t i o s t n e nt en ys f he

t l edl t fci s vie. (
d eg y dee tve' er c ' Docke No.1 a 2.
al
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t
8t )
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t r nsde i he a s hi a e he ou t eleve ha e vi e
oc s
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r e h s ns f c en
r he pplc bl a
t t bove, ti undi put t t
i s
s ed ha
Spo t c f l t c pl w ih t pl i r r m e t off der la s a e l w f pr rs r c
ole h aied o om y t he a n equie n s e a nd t t a or ope e vi e

1

Vigni Cod j8 013 1p o i s
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.

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t f l ngm a :
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nner

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ronal e vie
t r r ct
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or i or ai
whi i a horze t do busne si t Co m o alh,a bypes
ch s ut i d o
i s n he m nwe t nd
ronals r c on a a ntof
e vie
ny ge
a f egn c po a i ta aci busnes i t Comm onwe t wihout s
or i or r ton rns tng
i s n he
alh t
uch a horz i
ut iaton,
wheeve a s h ofk e , r cor orage sbef
r r ny uc t r die t ,
nt
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nwe t

2.Bys btttdsr ieo afrinc ro aini a c ra c wi j l .- 6 a d1 19 8 i
u si e evc n oeg op rto n c od n e t j 317 6 n 3.-2 ,f
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ho ie o r a t i s t n he
wealh;

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r e f u lcto n c od n e t j . - 6 n . - 7 r uidito n e
h
orq ii r m i a horze r ga dls ofwhehe t f ein co por i s s ved i a horz
uas n e s ut i d, e r e s
t r he or g r aton o er s ut ied
t ta a bus ne sw ihi t Com monw e lh.
o r ns ct i s t n he
at

Va Co eAn . 8. -01( s 2 2 .
. d n j 013 Wet 01 )
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a ntf s e t n he m ai ha
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Do k t 12 t ) rh r r ,t s n s u e h t e vc s o a tmp e n r i a
u h p ls
t
a d2 o Va Co ej 8013 1a ei a pl a l t d tnn nn wh t e p o e swa p o e l s r e o Vo tc .
n f . d . - 0 r n p i be o ee i ig e h r r c s s r p ry ev d n re h
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t eSe r tr o teCo n at p r u n t Va Co ej8013 9.Ag i , t su d s u e ta t i d dn t c u
h c ea y f h mmo we 1 u s a t o . d . - 2
h
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olowed,a pl i
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,
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ul
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e rme t o he nne n c el c
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D. C. ) c ncudi ha e vie f oc s n ompa s
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xec i e r t r
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ofCi lPr e e4( ,be a et s ceaywasnota horz t rcevepr e son b hafof
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ut ied o e i oc s
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he mpa ; ns Tur ,
451 458 S. nd. 995) deemi ng ha
an l a c i s a ut di no ope a e t r m e a pl i if s i f ec i s r ce ofpr e s
ndi na ur ng t t e d t r t o e dy a ntf ne f tve e vi
oc s
eve whe i w a c ea ,bas on i e r t y r pons s t tt de e nt e ua l r c ve
n
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f c t a def nda r e ve ac ua no i e i nots tci nti t r ha no be c pla e w ih
a t hat
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ufi e f he e s t en om i nc t

t pl nrquie nt oft r e.) Theco tas noe t t a e de dbyt tteca i
he ai e rme s he u1 ' .
'
ur lo ts ha, s vi nce
he il pton
on t f c oft c pl i t Spoolec kne t tSw e ney w a V orec s a hor z d a nt
he a e he om a n ,
t h w ha
e
s t h' ut i e ge

whom iwasrquiedt sn' wihpr e s Do tNo.l2at2. Furher e,n ga i
t
e r o e e t oc s .( cke
) t mor i rntng

Voe h smo int q a h,hec u t o e t a a yp eudc t S o le h i mi ma,
t c ' to o u s t o r n ts h t n rj ie o p otc s ni l
c i rng t tt s a ut oflm ia i underV igi a l w i t ee ye r f ac i nsba e on
onsde i ha he t t e i t tons
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a s or to
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an or cont actand fve year f ac i based on a m iten contact Va.
al
r
i
s or t ons
t
r .
CodeAnn.j8. 01
246.

11
1.

Concl on
usi

Fort r a onspr s nt a
he e s
e e ed bove t c ur w ilgr ntV or e h' m oton t quas s r c
, he o t l a
tc s
i o
h e vi e
ofpr
ocess.

The Cl r i die t d t s nd c rii d c esoft sm em or ndum opi o a t
e k s r c e o e e tt e opi
hi
a
ni n nd he
a om pa ng or rt a lc
cc
nyi
de o 1 ouns lofr or
e
ec d,

ENTER:Thi 73' d yo J l , 1
s
a f u y 20 2.

Chi fU nie St t s Di t i tJ e
e
t d a e s rc udg