Red River Wings, Inc. v. Hoot, Inc.
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| 20070087 |
Red River Wings, Inc., Plaintiff and Appellee
v.
Hoot, Inc., Defendant and Appellant
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| Appeal from: |
District Court,
East Central Judicial District,
Cass County
Judge John Charles Irby |
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Nature of Action: |
Contracts
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| Counsel: |
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| Term: |
12/2007 Argument: 12/18/2007 10:45am
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| ND cite: |
2008 ND 117
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| NW cite: |
751 N.W.2d 206
Listen to recording of oral argument
using RealPlayer Basic,© a free download.
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| Issues: |
Appellant's Statement of the Issues:
This appeal stems from a majority of limited partners (Appellants) in two limited partnerships who voted, pursuant to their rights under the partnership agreements, to remove and replace the general partner who was usurping partnership opportunities
and poorly managing the finances and businesses. Ignoring the partnership agreements, the trial court concluded that the replacement of the general partner was improper. The trial court's determination imposed a unanimous partner consent
requirement on general partner replacement, which is found nowhere in the partnership agreements. The trial court also held that Appellants breached fiduciary duties in replacing the general partner and terminating the management contract. The
statute, however, provides no protection to the Appellee limited partners; instead the legislation protects third parties transacting business with the partnership. Further, Appellants' decisions were not grossly negligent, reckless, intentionally
wrongful or a knowing violation of the law - prerequisites to a fiduciary duty breach determination. The trial court ultimately disregarded the partnerships' liability protection, without any factual or legal entity piercing analysis, and imposed
personal liability upon the individual limited partners. Appellants, therefore, raise these issues:
I. Did the trial court err in pronouncing the limited partnerships to have been dissolved in October 1998?
II. Did the trial court err and clearly err in holding the limited partners individually liable without analyzing whether the limited partnership veils could be pierced?
III. If the limited partnerships were legitimately pierced, did the trial court clearly err in holding the limited partners personally liable absent a breach of the statutorily defined fiduciary duties?
IV. If the limited partnerships were legitimately pierced and the limited partners breached their duties, did the trial court err in determining that the limited partners can be personally liable beyond their capital contributions?
V. Did the trial court clearly err in calculating damages?
VI.Did the trial court clearly err in dismissing Appellants' breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and fraud claims?
VII.Did the trial court err in ordering Hoot, Inc. to pay distributions to Red River Wings, Inc.?
Appellee's Statement of the Issues:
I. The Partnership Agreements Do Not Permit the Replacement of a Removed General Partner by a Majority in Interest of the Limited Partners.
II. North Dakota Law Did Not Permit the Appointment of a Successor General Partner Unless All Limited Partners Agree.
III. The Trial Court Properly Found the Majority Group Breached Fiduciary Duties and Oppressed the Minority Limited Partners.
A. The Limited Partnership Act Imposes Fiduciary Duties on Limited Partners Who Take Control of the Partnership.
B. The Trial Court Properly Imposed Liability Based on Findings That the Majority Group Controlled the Limited Partnership, Violated Fiduciary Duties, and Injured the Minority Partners and the Partnerships by Their Actions.
C. The Trial Court's Finding that the Majority Group Breached Fiduciary Duties Are Not Clearly Erroneous.
D. The Kesselring Defendants Are Not Shielded by the Business Judgment Rule.
IV. Credible Evidence Supported the Court's Dismissal of the Appellant's Claims
A. Breach of Fiduciary Duty
B. Breach of Contract.
C. Fraud.
V. Red River Wings was Entitled to General Partner Distributions.
VI. The Majority Group is Liable for Causing the Termination of LTM's Management Contract Without Cause.
A. LTM Claim v. Majority Group.
VII. LTM was Entitled to Prejudgment Interest from the Time of the Takeover.
Issues on Cross Appeal
1. Did the trial court err in limiting the claims of LTM by ruling that the dissolution of the partnerships in October of 1998 removed the object of the management contracts?
2. Did the Court err in failing to grant LTM prejudgment interest on its unpaid accounts from October of 1998 through the date judgment was entered?
Appellee's Statement of the Issues:
I. Did the trial court correctly determine that Canadian Wings and Manitoba Wings limited partnerships were dissolved effective October 25, 1998 when a replacement general partner was not appointed by the unanimous vote of the limited partners.
II. Did the trial court properly find that the limited partners who took control of and dominated the affairs of the limited partnerships breached their fiduciary duties to the partnerships and the other limited partners.
III. Did the trial court properly determine the damages incurred by the limited partnerships as a result of the controlling limited partners' breach and, through an accounting, correctly award damages to certain minority limited partners.
IV. Did the trial court err in limiting the award of attorneys' fees and costs to the Appellees' by arbitrarily disallowing fees prior to September 2002 when all of the claims litigated were based on the same underlying facts and theories.
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 Add Docket 20070087 RSS
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| 1 | | 03/27/2007 | |
NOTICE OF APPEAL: 03/23/2007 |
| 2 | | 03/27/2007 | |
ORDER FOR TRANSCRIPT: 03/23/2007 |
| 3 | | 03/27/2007 | |
THIS CASE IS CONSOLIDATED WITH 20070088 AND 20070089 MAKE ALL ENTRIES EXCEPT DIS & MAN IN 20070087 |
| 4 | | 04/03/2007 | |
Affidavits of Timothy R. Thornton, Timothy G. Gelinske & Jonathan P. Schmidt pursuant to Rule 3, |
| 5 | | 04/03/2007 | |
Admission to Practice Rule (Authorized) |
| 6 | | 04/09/2007 | |
NOTICE OF CROSS APPEAL by Richard H. Walstad, et al. |
| 7 | | 04/09/2007 | |
NOTICE OF CROSS APPEAL by LTM, Ltd. |
| 8 | | 04/12/2007 | |
ANNOUNCED DISQUALIFICATION: Sandstrom, Dale V. |
| 9 | | 04/12/2007 | |
MOTION for Leave to File Brief Exceeding Word Limit, Notice, Brief and Aff in Support & Aff Service |
| 10 | | 04/16/2007 | |
Rec'd Cert of Serv for updated affidavits of Thornton, Gelinske and Schmidt |
| 11 | | 04/25/2007 | |
Statement of the Issues for Appellants |
| 12 | | 04/25/2007 | |
Certificate of Service by Federal Express of Appellant's Statement of Issues |
| 13 | | 04/26/2007 | |
RECORD ON APPEAL (2 Vols.) and transcript dated 1/31/02. Not Received were Steno Notes and Tapes |
| 14 | | 04/30/2007 | |
Statement of Issues on the Cross-appeal of LTM, Inc. |
| 15 | | 04/30/2007 | |
Statement of Issues on the Cross-appeal of the Walstad Group and Cert. of Service (electronically) |
| 16 | | 04/30/2007 | |
E-FILED Statement of Issues on the Cross-appeal of the Walstad Group |
| 17 | | 04/30/2007 | |
ANNOUNCED DISQUALIFICATION: Crothers, Daniel John |
| 18 | | 05/01/2007 | |
ANNOUNCED DISQUALIFICATION: Maring, Mary Muehlen |
| 19 | | 05/02/2007 | |
ACTION BY SUPREME COURT (Mtn. for extra words, granted in part). Granted |
| 20 | | 05/07/2007 | |
TRANSCRIPTS DATED 7/7/05, 7/8/05, 7/11/05, 7/12/05, 7/13/05, 7/14/05, 7/15/05, 7/18/05, 7/20/05, |
| 21 | | 05/07/2007 | |
7/21/05, 7/22/05, 8/9/05, 8/10/05, 8/11/05, 8/12/05, 8/16/05, 8/17/05, 12/12/05, 12/13/05, 12/15/05 |
| 22 | | 05/07/2007 | |
12/21/05, & MASTER INDEX (22 Total Volumes) |
| 23 | | 05/08/2007 | |
DISK-Tra(22 Volumes-Filed 5/7/07) |
| 24 | | 05/08/2007 | |
Clerk's Certificate of Service of Transcripts |
| 25 | | 05/08/2007 | |
DISK-tra(7/6/05) |
| 26 | | 05/10/2007 | |
TRANSCRIPT DATED 7/6/05 |
| 27 | | 05/11/2007 | |
Clerk's Certificate of Service of Transcript dated 7/6/05 |
| 28 | | 05/15/2007 | |
Clerk's Supplemental Certificate of Record dated 5/15/07 (Entry Nos.219-Filed in 02-C-2753 & 220) |
| 29 | | 05/30/2007 | |
MOT. EXT/TIME APPELLANT BRIEF, Brief/Support, Affidavit/Jonathan Schmidt |
| 30 | | 05/30/2007 | |
ACTION BY CHIEF JUSTICE (MAT). Granted: 08/03/2007 |
| 31 | | 08/02/2007 | |
APPELLANT BRIEF |
| 32 | | 08/02/2007 | |
Addendum (attached to ATB) |
| 33 | | 08/02/2007 | |
APPELLANT APPENDIX (2 vols.) |
| 34 | | 08/03/2007 | |
DISK - atb |
| 35 | | 08/09/2007 | |
Copies of Order dated 12/13/06; Judgment; Notice of Cross-Appeal of LTM; and Notice of Cross-Appeal |
| 36 | | 08/22/2007 | |
MOT. EXT/TIME APPELLEE BRIEF (letter dated August 21, 2007) |
| 37 | | 08/22/2007 | |
ACTION BY CLERK. Granted: 10/04/2007 |
| 38 | | 08/23/2007 | |
MOT. EXT/TIME APPELLEE BRIEF (letter dated August 22, 2007) |
| 39 | | 08/23/2007 | |
ACTION BY CLERK (MAE). Granted: 10/04/2007 |
| 40 | | 09/28/2007 | |
MOTION for Leave to File Appellees' Brief of 15000 words on behalf of Thomas H. Lavelle, Dyan K. |
| 41 | | 09/28/2007 | |
Dockter, Shelly J. Dockter, LTM, and Red River Wings; Affidavit in Support and Aff. of Service |
| 42 | | 09/28/2007 | |
E-FILED MOTION (Leave to File AEB of 15000 words) |
| 43 | | 09/28/2007 | |
ACTION BY CLERK (15000 words for AEB of Lavelle, Dockters, LTM, Red River Wings). Granted |
| 44 | | 10/05/2007 | |
MOT. EXT/TIME REPLY BRIEF (e-filed) |
| 45 | | 10/05/2007 | |
E-FILED MOTION (RYB) |
| 46 | | 10/05/2007 | |
ACTION BY CHIEF DEPUTY CLERK (MRY). Granted: 11/01/2007 |
| 47 | | 10/04/2007 | |
APPELLEE BRIEF of Lavelle, etc. |
| 48 | | 10/04/2007 | |
Attached addendum for AEB |
| 49 | | 10/04/2007 | |
APPELLEE BRIEF of Walstad, et al. (e-filed) |
| 50 | | 10/04/2007 | |
E-FILED BRIEF (AEB-Walstad) |
| 51 | | 10/04/2007 | |
APPELLEE APPENDIX (PDF) (e-filed) |
| 52 | | 10/04/2007 | |
E-FILED APPENDIX (AEA-Walstad) |
| 53 | | 10/05/2007 | |
Received $117.50 of surcharge for AEB - Walstad |
| 54 | | 10/08/2007 | |
New Table of Contents, Statement of Issues and Certificate of Compliance for AEB of Lavelle, etc. |
| 55 | | 10/08/2007 | |
DISK - AEB (Lavelle, etc.) |
| 56 | | 10/11/2007 | |
Received 7 copies of AEB from Central Duplicating |
| 57 | | 10/11/2007 | |
Received 6 copies of Joint Appendix of Appellees from Central Duplicating |
| 58 | | 10/16/2007 | |
Received $29.00 surcharge for AEB & AEA - Walstad (receipt #17881) |
| 59 | | 10/19/2007 | |
MOTION by Kesselring and Emerson to file RYB in excess of word limit, Aff. & Brief in support |
| 60 | | 10/19/2007 | |
ACTION BY CHIEF JUSTICE (MOT/RYB of Kesselring group and Emerson group extended to 5000 words). Granted |
| 61 | | 10/31/2007 | |
REPLY BRIEF of Appellants |
| 62 | | 11/01/2007 | |
DISK - RYB |
| 63 | | 11/14/2007 | |
REPLY BRIEF of Appellee/Cross-Appellant LTM, Inc. |
| 64 | | 11/14/2007 | |
Addendum to RYB of LTM, Inc. |
| 65 | | 11/15/2007 | |
DISK - ryb of Appellee/Cross-Appellant LTM, Inc. |
| 66 | | 11/19/2007 | |
REPLY BRIEF of Appellees/Cross-Appellants Walstad Group |
| 67 | | 11/19/2007 | |
E-FILED BRIEF (RYB of Appellees/Cross-Appellants Walstad Group) |
| 68 | | 11/21/2007 | |
Received copies of RYB of Walstad Group from Central Duplicating Services |
| 69 | | 11/26/2007 | |
SITTING WITH THE COURT: Foughty, Donovan John |
| 70 | | 11/26/2007 | |
SITTING WITH THE COURT: Holte, Robert W. |
| 71 | | 11/27/2007 | |
SITTING WITH THE COURT: Bohlman, Bruce E. |
| 72 | | 12/04/2007 | |
MOTION FOR ADDITIONAL TIME FOR ORAL ARGUMENT (FAX DATED 12/04/2007) |
| 73 | | 12/05/2007 | |
ACTION BY CHIEF JUSTICE. Denied |
| 74 | | 12/18/2007 | |
APPEARANCES: Timothy R. Thornton, Jonathan P. Schmidt, Patrick R. Morley; Bruce H. Carlson; |
| 75 | | 12/18/2007 | |
Ronald H. McLean, Timothy G. Richard |
| 76 | | 12/18/2007 | |
ARGUED: Thornton; Carlson; McLean |
| 77 | | 12/18/2007 | |
ORAL ARGUMENT WEBCAST |
| 78 | | 06/20/2008 | |
DISPOSITION (AND REMANDED): AFFIRMED/PT, REVERSED/PT |
| 79 | | 06/20/2008 | |
UNANIMOUS OPINION: Kapsner, Carol Ronning |
| 80 | | 06/20/2008 | |
At the direction of the Court no costs are taxed on this appeal |
| 81 | | 06/20/2008 | |
Judgment e-mailed to Parties |
| 82 | | 06/24/2008 | |
Corrected Opinion Page 20 |
| 83 | | 07/16/2008 | |
MANDATE |