Upsher v. Grosse Pointe Pub ( 2002 )


Menu:
  • 5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH  (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21  )(' $SS 3 WK &LU )LOH 1DPH DS 81,7('67$7(6&28572)$33($/6 )257+(6,;7+&,5&8,7 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB s(66( 836+(5 $11,( ; $%5$+$0 (':$5'  %52'=,. s($1(77(   1RV %52'=,. +(15 @SUHVHQWHGHYLGHQFHWKDWGHVSLWHNQRZOHGJHRIWKH EURXJKWD86&†DFWLRQDJDLQVWWKH*URVVH3RLQWH HDUOLHUH[SORVLRQGHIHQGDQWIDLOHGWRUHPHG\WKHFRQGLWLRQ 3XEOLF6FKRRO6\VWHPWKH*URVVH3RLQWH%RDUGRI(GXFDWLRQ WKDWFDXVHGLWl,GDW DQG YDULRXV LQGLYLGXDOO\ QDPHG GHIHQGDQWV KHUHLQDIWHU FROOHFWLYHO\ UHIHUUHG WR DV mWKH GHIHQGDQWVl  IRU DOOHJHG +HUHKRZHYHUHYHQLIZHDVVXPHWKHDVEHVWRVFRQWDLQLQJ LQMXULHV IURP H[SRVXUH WR IULDEOH DVEHVWRV GXULQJ D FDUSHW WLOHV FRQVWLWXWHG D mFRQWLQXRXVO\ RSHUDWLYH GDQJHURXV UHPRYDO MRE DW *URVVH 3RLQWHjV 6RXWK +LJK 6FKRRO  7KHLU FRQGLWLRQlDIDFWZHGRQRWUHVROYHWKHUHLVQRHYLGHQFHWKDW VSRXVHV DOVR EURXJKW GHULYDWLYH FODLPV  7KH GLVWULFW FRXUW DQ\RIWKHGHIHQGDQWVNQHZWKLVFRQGLWLRQZRXOGFDXVHLQMXU\ HQWHUHGVXPPDU\MXGJPHQWIRUWKHGHIHQGDQWVIURPZKLFKWKH DQGUHIUDLQHGIURPLQIRUPLQJWKHSODLQWLIIV7KHVXSHUYLVRU SODLQWLIIVQRZDSSHDO LQ *ROHF RUGHUHG WKH SODLQWLII WR UHWXUQ WR ZRUN ZLWK IXOO NQRZOHGJHWKDWWKHRSHUDWLQJFRQGLWLRQKDGUHFHQWO\UHVXOWHG :HPXVWGHFLGHZKHWKHUWKHSODLQWLIIVjHYLGHQFHHVWDEOLVKHV LQ DQ LQMXU\FDXVLQJ H[SORVLRQ  +HUH WKH SODLQWLIIVj SURRI PDWHULDOLVVXHVUHJDUGLQJWKHGHIHQGDQWVjOLDELOLW\XQGHUERWK VKRZV PHUHO\ WKDW    WKH GHIHQGDQWV DQG ZH QRWH RQO\  86& †  DQG WKH LQWHQWLRQDO WRUW H[FHSWLRQ WR WKH VRPH RI WKH LQGLYLGXDOO\ QDPHG GHIHQGDQWV  NQHZ RI WKH 0LFKLJDQ :RUNHUjV 'LVDELOLW\ &RPSHQVDWLRQ $FW 0,&+ JHQHUDO GDQJHUV DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK DVEHVWRV H[SRVXUH   WKH &203 /$:6 $11†   0:'&$ :HFRQFOXGH GHIHQGDQWVGLGQRWSURYLGH DGHTXDWHWUDLQLQJUHJDUGLQJWKH WKDWLWGRHVQRWDQGWKHUHIRUHZHZLOODIILUPWKHMXGJPHQWRI SURSHUPHWKRGIRUUHPRYLQJDVEHVWRVFRQWDLQLQJWLOHVDQG  WKHGLVWULFWFRXUW WKHGHIHQGDQWVGLGQRWSURYLGHDGHTXDWHSURWHFWLYHGHYLFHV VXFKDVFORWKLQJDLUUHVSLUDWRUVDLUPRQLWRULQJDQGWKHOLNH , :KLOHWKHGHIHQGDQWVjDFWLRQVPD\KDYHEHHQQHJOLJHQWRU HYHQJURVVO\QHJOLJHQWZHFRQFOXGHWKDWWKHSODLQWLIIVj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sHVVH8SVKHU 7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWFRQFOXGHG DQGsRKQ2j/RXJKOLQZHUHVWXGHQWVDW6RXWK+LJK6FKRRODQG ZHUHHPSOR\HGDVWHPSRUDU\FXVWRGLDQV3ODLQWLII6WHSKHQ 7KHUH LV QR TXHVWLRQ RI DQ\ IDFW UDLVHG FRQFHUQLQJ .DOPXVZDVWKHIRUHPDQDQGVXSHUYLVHGWKHRWKHUFXVWRGLDQV VSHFLILFLQWHQWRIWKH'HIHQGDQWVWRFDXVHDQ\LQMXU\WR 3ODLQWLIIVsHDQHWWH%URG]LN$XUHOLD+XF]HNDQG&DWKHULQH WKH3ODLQWLIIVDQGWKHUHj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sD\sHIIULHV KHDGHQJLQHHUDW6RXWK+LJK6FKRRO  WKHUHIRUH IRFXVHV RQ WKH GLVWULFW FRXUWjV FRQFOXVLRQ DV LW 'U (GZDUG 6KLQH 'U .OHLQjV SUHGHFHVVRU  /DUU\ UHODWHVWRWKLVVHFRQGDYHQXHRIHVWDEOLVKLQJDQLQWHQWLRQDO L@IQHJOLJHQFHOLHVDWRQH HQGRIDVSHFWUXPDQGLQWHQWDWWKHRWKHUWKHFRQGXFWRI $1$/ O\@ 86&† LQGLIIHUHQ>W@WRµXQUHDVRQDEOHULVNVRIKDUPjlWKHGHIHQGDQWV ZRXOG QRW EH OLDEOH IRU D FRQVWLWXWLRQDO YLRODWLRQ DV )LUVWZHUHYLHZZKHWKHUWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWHUUHG ZKHQLW FRQWHPSODWHGE\&ROOLQV/HZHOOHQ)GDW FRQFOXGHG WKDW WKH SODLQWLIIVj HYLGHQFH GLG QRW VXIILFLHQWO\ 6LPLODUO\ KHUH ZH FDQQRW ILQG QRU ZDV RXU DWWHQWLRQ HVWDEOLVK D PDWHULDO LVVXH RI IDFW ZLWK UHJDUG WR WKH LQYLWHGWRDQ\HYLGHQFHLQWKHUHFRUGZKLFKVXJJHVWVWKDWDQ\ GHIHQGDQWVjOLDELOLW\XQGHU86&†6HFWLRQ RIWKHGHIHQGDQWVPDGHDGHOLEHUDWHGHFLVLRQWRLQIOLFWSDLQRU SURYLGHVLQUHOHYDQWSDUW ERGLO\LQMXU\RQDQ\RIWKHSODLQWLIIV1HLWKHULVWKHUHSURRI (YHU\ SHUVRQ ZKR XQGHU FRORU RI DQ\ VWDWXWH WKDWWKHGHIHQGDQWVHQJDJHGLQDUELWUDU\FRQGXFWLQWHQWLRQDOO\ RUGLQDQFHUHJXODWLRQFXVWRPRUXVDJHRIDQ\6WDWHRU GHVLJQHG WR SXQLVK WKH SODLQWLIIVnFRQGXFW ZKLFK ZH KDYH 7HUULWRU\RUWKH'LVWULFWRI&ROXPELDVXEMHFWVRUFDXVHV UHFRJQL]HGPD\UHVXOWLQWKHGHSULYDWLRQRIDFRQVWLWXWLRQDOO\ WREHVXEMHFWHGDQ\FLWL]HQRIWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVRURWKHU SURWHFWHGLQWHUHVW,G:LWKRXWPRUHZHFRQFOXGHWKDWWKH SHUVRQZLWKLQWKHMXULVGLFWLRQWKHUHRIWRWKHGHSULYDWLRQ SODLQWLIIVjHYLGHQFH HVWDEOLVKHVDWEHVWDFDVHVRXQGLQJLQ RIDQ\ULJKWVSULYLOHJHVRULPPXQLWLHVVHFXUHGE\WKH QHJOLJHQFHDQGQRWDFRQVWLWXWLRQDOWRUWXQGHU† &RQVWLWXWLRQDQGODZVVKDOOEHOLDEOHWRWKHSDUW\LQMXUHG  8SVKHUHWDOY*URVVH 1RV 1RV 8SVKHUHWDOY*URVVH  3RLQWH3XEOLF6FKRRO 3RLQWH3XEOLF6FKRRO 6\VWHPHWDO 6\VWHPHWDO LQ DQ DFWLRQ DW ODZ VXLW LQ HTXLW\ RU RWKHU SURSHU FRQFOXGH WKDW D mIDLU UHDGLQJl RI WKH SODLQWLIIVj FRPSODLQW SURFHHGLQJIRUUHGUHVV XQOLNH WKH FRPSODLQW LQ &ROOLQV GRHV DOOHJH D ZLOOIXO YLRODWLRQ6HH&ROOLQV86DW 86&† :HVW6XSS  2XUQH[WLQTXLU\WKHUHIRUHLVZKHWKHUWKHSODLQWLIIVjSURRI &RQVHTXHQWO\ WR VWDWH D YLDEOH FODLP XQGHU  86& LV VXIILFLHQW DV D PDWWHU RI ODZ WR VWDWH D TXHVWLRQ RI IDFW †SODLQWLIIVPXVWSURGXFHHYLGHQFHWKDW  WKH\ZHUH UHJDUGLQJWKHGHIHQGDQWVjOLDELOLW\XQGHU86&† GHSULYHG RI D ULJKW SULYLOHJH RU LPPXQLW\ VHFXUHG E\ WKH 7KLV FRXUW PDGH FOHDU LQ /HZHOOHQ Y 0HWURSROLWDQ IHGHUDO&RQVWLWXWLRQRUODZRIWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVDQG  WKH *RYHUQPHQW RI 1DVKYLOOH DQG 'DYLGVRQ &RXQW\ 7HQQ  GHSULYDWLRQZDVFDXVHGE\DSHUVRQZKLOHDFWLQJXQGHUWKH )G WK&LU WKDWLQDQRQFXVWRGLDOVHWWLQJLQ FRORURIVWDWHODZ)ODJJ%URVY%URRNV86 RUGHUWRHVWDEOLVKOLDELOLW\IRUYLRODWLRQVRIVXEVWDQWLYHGXH   VHH&ROOLQVY&LW\RI+DUNHU+HLJKWV7H[ SURFHVV XQGHU †  D SODLQWLII PXVW SURYH WKDW WKH 86  6HFWLRQLVQRWVHOIH[HFXWLQJEXW JRYHUQPHQWDODFWRUHLWKHULQWHQWLRQDOO\LQMXUHGWKHSODLQWLIIRU UDWKHU SURYLGHV D UHPHG\ mµIRU YLQGLFDWLQJ IHGHUDO ULJKWV DFWHGDUELWUDULO\LQWKHFRQVWLWXWLRQDOVHQVH,GDWVHH HOVHZKHUHFRQIHUUHGjl$OEULJKWY2OLYHU86 *D]HWWH Y &LW\ RI 3RQWLDF  )G   WK &LU   FLWDWLRQRPLWWHG 7KH6XSUHPH&RXUWKDVFDXWLRQHG  7KH/HZHOOHQFRXUWH[SUHVVHGGRXEWDVWRZKHWKHULQ FRXUWVWRFDUHIXOO\VFUXWLQL]HVRFDOOHGVXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVV DQRQFXVWRGLDOFDVHmGHOLEHUDWHLQGLIIHUHQFHlFRXOGJLYHULVH FODLPV EURXJKW XQGHU †  mEHFDXVH JXLGHSRVWV IRU WRDYLRODWLRQRIVXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVV/HZHOOHQ)G UHVSRQVLEOHGHFLVLRQPDNLQJLQWKLVXQFKDUWHUHGDUHDDUHVFDUFH DWQVHH6WHPOHUY&LW\RI)ORUHQFH)G DQGRSHQHQGHGl&ROOLQV86DWm,WLVLPSRUWDQW WK&LU :HSRLQWWKLVRXWEHFDXVHWKHGLVWULFWFRXUW WKHUHIRUH WR IRFXV RQ WKH DOOHJDWLRQV LQ WKH FRPSODLQW WR LQUXOLQJRQWKHGHIHQGDQWVjLQLWLDOPRWLRQIRUSDUWLDOVXPPDU\ GHWHUPLQHKRZ>WKHSODLQWLII@GHVFULEHVWKHFRQVWLWXWLRQDOULJKW MXGJPHQWVWDWHGWKDWm>W@KHFODLPFRXOGSRVVLEO\JR DWVWDNHDQGZKDWWKH>JRYHUQPHQWDODFWRU@DOOHJHGO\GLGWR IRUZDUGDVDFDVHRIGHOLEHUDWHLQGLIIHUHQFHl:HEHOLHYHWKH GHSULYH>WKHSODLQWLII@RIWKDWULJKWl,G PRUHH[DFWVWDQGDUGDQQRXQFHGLQ/HZHOOHQLVWKDWLQRUGHU WR VXFFHHG RQ D †  FODLP LQ D QRQFXVWRGLDO VHWWLQJ D :H EHJLQ WKHUHIRUH E\ ORRNLQJ DW KRZ WKH SODLQWLIIV SODLQWLII PXVW SURYH HLWKHU LQWHQWLRQDO LQMXU\ RU mDUELWUDU\ GHVFULEHWKHFRQVWLWXWLRQDOULJKWDWVWDNHLQWKHLUFRPSODLQW FRQGXFW LQWHQWLRQDOO\ GHVLJQHG WR SXQLVK VRPHRQHnHJ 7KH SODLQWLIIV DOOHJH WKDW WKH GHIHQGDQWV LQ RUGHULQJ WKH JLYLQJ D ZRUNHU µD SDUWLFXODUO\ GDQJHURXV DVVLJQPHQW LQ SODLQWLIIVWRUHPRYHWKHDVEHVWRVFRQWDLQLQJPDWHULDOVFDXVHG UHWDOLDWLRQIRUDSROLWLFDOVSHHFKRUEHFDXVHRIKLVRUKHU LQMXU\WRWKHSODLQWLIIVZKLFKZDVmZLOOIXOZDQWRQPDOLFLRXV JHQGHUjl/HZHOOHQ)GDW TXRWLQJ&ROOLQV86 DQGGHPRQVWUDWHGFRPSOHWHXWWHUDQGUHFNOHVVGLVUHJDUGIRU DW    2U DV VWDWHG LQ 6WHPOHU D SODLQWLII PXVW SURYH >WKHLU@ KHDOWK DQG VDIHW\l LQ YLRODWLRQ RI †   ,Q WKHLU mµFRQVFLHQFHVKRFNLQJjlEHKDYLRU6WHPOHU)GDW DSSHOODWHEULHILQJWKHSODLQWLIIVFODULI\WKDWWKHLU†FODLP TXRWLQJ&ROOLQV86DW  UHVWVRQ6HFWLRQRIWKH'XH3URFHVV&ODXVHRIWKH)RXUWHHQWK $PHQGPHQW VSHFLILFDOO\ WKH VXEVWDQWLYH FRPSRQHQW WKDW 7KH SODLQWLIIV XUJH WKDW WKH 6HFRQG &LUFXLWjV GHFLVLRQ LQ SURWHFWVDJDLQVWGHOLEHUDWHGHFLVLRQVRIJRYHUQPHQWRIILFLDOV /D%RXQW\Y&RXJKOLQ)G G&LU UHTXLUHV WRmGHSULYHDQ\SHUVRQRIOLIHOLEHUW\RUSURSHUW\ZLWKRXW D UHYHUVDO RI WKH GLVWULFW FRXUWjV MXGJPHQW KRZHYHU ZH GXHSURFHVVRIODZl86 &2167DPHQG;,9†:H FRQFOXGHWKDWRXUGHFLVLRQLQ/HZHOOHQGHPDQGVWKHRSSRVLWH

Document Info

Docket Number: 00-1763

Filed Date: 4/4/2002

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 9/22/2015