Justia U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Opinion Summaries

In 2005, Full Circle Villagebrook GP, LLC formed a partnership with Protech 2004-D, LLC and AMTAX Holdings 436, LLC to develop and operate an affordable housing project in Illinois. Full Circle, as the General Partner, held a minor ownership stake but had an option to buy out the Limited Partners after 15 years, based on the property's fair market value. The partnership agreement specified that the appraiser for this valuation must be selected from the approved lists of LaSalle Bank or Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage (DBBM). When Full Circle attempted to exercise this option in 2020, it selected an appraiser from the approved lists of the successor banks to LaSalle and DBBM, as the original banks no longer existed.The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted summary judgment in favor of the Limited Partners and Alden Torch Financial, LLC. The court held that Full Circle did not comply with the partnership agreement's terms, as it did not select an appraiser from the lists of the named banks, nor did it seek the Investor Limited Partner's approval for an alternative appraiser. Consequently, the court denied Full Circle's claims for breach of contract and tortious interference.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment. The appellate court agreed that the contract's language was unambiguous and required strict compliance with the specified method for selecting an appraiser. Since Full Circle did not adhere to these terms, it failed to validly exercise its option, and no binding contract was formed. Therefore, the Limited Partners were not in breach, and Full Circle's claims were properly dismissed. View "Full Circle Villagebrook GP, LLC v. Protech 2004-D, LLC" on Justia Law

Santanu Das, a sales associate at Tata Consultancy Services, participated in a compensation incentive plan that promised a bonus exceeding $400,000 for achieving certain sales targets. Das met the target but was paid less than $100,000. He sued Tata under Illinois law, which requires employers to pay all agreed-upon compensation. Tata argued that disclaimers in the incentive plan negated any agreement to pay the bonus. The district court dismissed Das’s complaint, leading to this appeal.The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois initially dismissed Das’s claims without prejudice. Das amended his complaint, adding breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation claims. The district court dismissed the repleaded claims with prejudice but allowed Das to replead the new claims. Das chose to appeal only the Wage Act and fraudulent misrepresentation claims. The district court found that the disclaimers in the incentive plan prevented the formation of an agreement to pay wages and that Das’s fraudulent misrepresentation claim lacked the necessary particularity.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reviewed the case de novo. The court found that Illinois law does not treat disclaimers as necessarily preventing the formation of mutual assent to terms. The court noted that past practices between Das and Tata could establish mutual assent. The court concluded that Das had plausibly alleged that Tata agreed to pay him the full bonus, reversing the district court’s dismissal of the Wage Act claim. However, the court affirmed the dismissal of the fraudulent misrepresentation claim, as Das failed to allege a scheme to defraud.The Seventh Circuit reversed the district court’s decision on the Wage Act claim and remanded the case for further proceedings. The dismissal of the fraudulent misrepresentation claim was affirmed. View "Das v. Tata Consultancy Services Limited" on Justia Law

A student at Rosalind Franklin University was accused of sexual assault by another student after a night of heavy drinking and marijuana use. The accused student, Nicholas Gash, had no memory of the events due to his intoxication. The university conducted an investigation, during which Gash received notices of allegations and participated in interviews. Despite attempting to withdraw from the university, Gash was informed that his withdrawal was not approved, and the Title IX hearing proceeded. The hearing panel found Gash responsible for the alleged assault and sanctioned him with expulsion.The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois dismissed Gash’s claims of sex-based discrimination under Title IX and breach of contract under Illinois law. The court found that the procedural errors cited by Gash did not suggest sex-based discrimination. Gash’s state law contract claims were also dismissed, as the court determined that he did not meet the high burden of showing that the university acted arbitrarily or in bad faith.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reviewed the case de novo. The court affirmed the district court’s dismissal, holding that the procedural errors and alleged biases did not plausibly suggest sex-based discrimination. The court noted that the errors could indicate a pro-victim or pro-complainant bias but not an anti-male bias. Additionally, the court found that Gash did not provide sufficient evidence to support his breach of contract claim, as he failed to show that the university acted without a rational basis or in bad faith. The court concluded that the university’s actions, while flawed, did not constitute sex-based discrimination or breach of contract. View "Gash v. Rosalind Franklin University" on Justia Law

In 2018, John Burns and Rajeev Arora, representing Moca Financial Inc., engaged in discussions with Manoj Baheti, represented by Yash Venture Holdings, LLC, about a potential investment. The alleged agreement was that Yash would provide $600,000 worth of software development in exchange for a 15% non-dilutable ownership interest in Moca. However, subsequent documents and communications indicated ongoing negotiations and changes in terms, including a reduction of Yash's proposed stake and a shift from software development to a cash investment. Yash eventually refused to sign the final documents, leading to the current litigation.The United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois dismissed most of Yash's claims, including breach of contract, fraud, and securities fraud, but allowed the equitable estoppel and copyright infringement claims to proceed. Yash later voluntarily dismissed the remaining claims, and the district court entered final judgment, prompting Yash to appeal.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reviewed the case de novo. The court found that Yash did not adequately allege the existence of an enforceable contract, as there was no meeting of the minds on the material term of whether the ownership interest was non-dilutable. Consequently, the breach of contract claim failed. Similarly, the promissory estoppel claim failed due to the lack of an unambiguous promise. The fraud and securities fraud claims were also dismissed because they relied on the existence of a non-dilutable ownership interest, which was not sufficiently alleged. Lastly, the breach of fiduciary duty claims failed as there was no enforceable stock subscription agreement to establish a fiduciary duty. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment. View "Yash Venture Holdings, LLC v. Moca Financial, Inc." on Justia Law

Next Millennium Telecom Co. (Nextel), a Saudi Arabian corporation, was contracted by the Saudi Arabian government to install an emergency siren system. Nextel paid American Signal Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation, approximately $11 million for the sirens and related components. After installation, the sirens failed to operate correctly, and American Signal refused to repair or replace the defective parts or refund the payment. Consequently, Nextel sued American Signal in federal court for breach of contract, among other claims.The case was heard in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The litigation was marked by Nextel's uncooperative behavior, which hindered the discovery process. At the final pretrial conference, the district court noted the lack of progress on key factual issues and ordered Nextel to take specific steps, including obtaining local counsel, conferring with American Signal, and filing a plan for testing the sirens and securing visas for witnesses. Nextel's failure to comply with these orders led the district court to dismiss the case for failure to prosecute.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reviewed the dismissal. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing the case. The appellate court found that Nextel's conduct, including its failure to facilitate inspections, schedule depositions, adhere to local rules, and comply with the court's pretrial order, justified the dismissal. The court emphasized that the responsibility to move the case forward rested with Nextel, and its pattern of delay and non-compliance supported the district court's decision. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal and did not address Nextel's argument regarding remote testimony for its witnesses. View "Next Millennium Telecom Co. v. American Signal Corporation" on Justia Law

3M Company operates a manufacturing facility in Cordova, Illinois, producing chemical products containing PFAS. The State of Illinois sued 3M, alleging that PFAS from the Cordova Facility contaminated the Mississippi River, violating state environmental laws. The State's complaint specifically excluded PFAS contamination from any other source, including AFFF used by the U.S. military at the nearby Rock Island Arsenal.The case was initially filed in Illinois state court. 3M removed it to the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, citing the federal officer removal statute, arguing that some contamination might have come from AFFF provided to the military, thus invoking a federal government contractor defense. The State moved to remand the case back to state court. The district court granted the motion, finding that the State's complaint excluded AFFF-related contamination, focusing solely on PFAS from the Cordova Facility.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reviewed the case de novo. The court held that 3M could not satisfy the fourth element required for removal under the federal officer removal statute, which necessitates a colorable federal defense. The court noted that the State had unequivocally conceded that it would not seek relief for mixed PFAS contamination and that any recovery would be barred if contamination was not solely from the Cordova Facility. Consequently, 3M's government contractor defense was deemed irrelevant under the State's theory of recovery. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's decision to remand the case to state court. View "Raoul v. 3M Company" on Justia Law

AXIS Insurance Company sought indemnification from American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services for claims AXIS settled, based on a contract between the two parties. The contract did not require AXIS to offer American Specialty the choice to approve the settlement or assume the defense. However, American Specialty argued that Indiana law imposed such an obligation. The district court agreed with American Specialty and granted summary judgment in its favor.The United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana found that AXIS's settlement payment was voluntary because AXIS did not give American Specialty the opportunity to approve the settlement or assume the defense. The court concluded that AXIS had to show actual liability on the underlying claim to seek indemnification, which AXIS could not do. Therefore, the district court ruled that American Specialty had no duty to indemnify AXIS for the settlement payment.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reviewed the case and reversed the district court's decision. The appellate court held that the contract did not require AXIS to tender the defense to American Specialty before settling claims. The court also found that Indiana law does not imply such a requirement in indemnification agreements. The Seventh Circuit concluded that AXIS was not obliged to offer American Specialty the opportunity to approve the settlement or assume the defense as a condition precedent to indemnification. The case was remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. View "Axis Insurance Company v. American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services" on Justia Law

Thompson Corrugated Systems, Inc. (TCS) entered into an oral agreement in 2004 to act as the North American sales representative for Engico, S.r.l., an Italian manufacturer of corrugated box machinery. TCS was to receive an 8% commission on sales, later modified to a sliding scale in 2012. Despite low sales, TCS procured two significant sales for Engico in 2005 and 2017. In 2016, Engico attempted to terminate the agreement due to low sales, but TCS resisted, citing market conditions. The parties renegotiated in 2018, agreeing that TCS would remain the representative until 2021 and continue to receive commissions. However, disputes arose over commissions for sales made in 2019 and 2020, leading TCS to sue Engico for breach of contract and other state law claims.The United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois granted partial summary judgment in favor of TCS, finding the 2004 oral agreement valid and enforceable. The court determined that the essential terms of the agreement, including the commission structure, territory, and services, were sufficiently definite. The court also found that the agreement was terminable at will under Illinois law. The remaining claims were left to the jury, which found Engico liable for breach of contract and awarded TCS damages.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reviewed the district court’s grant of partial summary judgment de novo. The appellate court affirmed the district court’s decision, agreeing that the 2004 oral agreement contained sufficiently definite terms and that the Statute of Frauds did not bar enforcement of the 2018 agreement. The court concluded that the essential terms of the agreement were clear and that the deposition testimony satisfied the Statute of Frauds’ writing requirement. Thus, the judgment of the district court was affirmed. View "Thompson Corrugated Systems, Inc. v. Engico S.r.l." on Justia Law

RCBA Nutraceuticals, LLC, a Florida-based nutritional supplements company, contracted with Western Packaging, Inc. for the manufacture of plastic zipper pouches to hold its protein powder. These pouches were produced by PolyFirst Packaging, Inc. in Wisconsin, which was later acquired by ProAmpac Holdings, Inc. The pouches were shipped to companies in New York and Texas for filling. RCBA discovered that the pouches were defective, with seams splitting and spilling the protein powder, leading to a lawsuit against ProAmpac in federal court in Wisconsin. RCBA's claims included breach of contract, breach of implied warranties, negligence, civil conspiracy, and fraudulent misrepresentation.The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin dismissed RCBA’s complaint. The court found that the claims were "foreign" under Wisconsin’s borrowing statute, WIS. STAT. § 893.07, and applied the statutes of limitations from New York and Texas for the contract claims, and Florida for the negligence claim. The court concluded that the contract claims were time-barred under the four-year statutes of limitations of New York and Texas, and the negligence claim was time-barred under Florida’s statute of limitations. The remaining tort claims were precluded by the economic loss doctrine. RCBA’s motion to reconsider was denied, with the court ruling that RCBA had waived its equitable arguments by not raising them earlier.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal. The appellate court agreed that the final significant event for the contract claims occurred where the defective pouches were delivered, in New York and Texas, making the claims foreign and subject to those states' statutes of limitations. The court also upheld the district court’s decision to deny the motion to reconsider, noting that RCBA had waived its equitable arguments by not presenting them in response to the motion to dismiss. The court concluded that RCBA’s claims were either time-barred or precluded. View "RCBA Nutraceuticals, LLC v. ProAmpac Holdings, Inc." on Justia Law

Samuel Boytor, an engineer and businessman, and his wife Carol, defaulted on loans they had personally guaranteed. They entered into a settlement agreement with EFS Bank’s successor, restructuring their debt into three new promissory notes secured by mortgages on their properties. PNC Bank, which eventually held these notes, filed a complaint in 2018 against the Boytors for defaulting on two of the notes. PNC sought foreclosure on the Boytors’ residential property and a money judgment for the nonpayment of a separate note.The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois held a bench trial and found in favor of PNC on both counts. The court ordered foreclosure on the Boytors’ residential property and issued a deficiency judgment after the property was sold. The Boytors appealed the decision.The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s judgment. The appellate court held that PNC had established a prima facie case for foreclosure by presenting the mortgage and underlying note. The Boytors’ affirmative defenses, including lack of consideration and payment of the notes, were rejected. The court found that the $203,000 note was supported by consideration and that the Boytors had not paid the note. Additionally, the court determined that the $200,000 note was not paid, and the release of the mortgage did not extinguish the underlying debt. The court also rejected the Boytors’ argument of accord and satisfaction, finding no evidence of a new arrangement to pay less than the outstanding debt. View "PNC Bank, National Association v. Boytor" on Justia Law