DocketNumber: No. CV 90-0438015S
Citation Numbers: 1990 Conn. Super. Ct. 3206
Judges: GOLDBERG, SENIOR JUDGE.
Filed Date: 10/1/1990
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 7/5/2016
The plaintiff is a Maryland corporation licensed to do business in Connecticut. The defendant is a Connecticut chartered mutual savings bank. On or about July 1, 1987, the plaintiff and defendant entered into an agreement pursuant to which the plaintiff would provide courier services for the defendant in parts of Connecticut for a period of two years beginning on July 1, 1987. These services were provided by plaintiff's drivers and supervisory personnel. Pursuant to paragraph 15 of the agreement, the defendant agreed not to hire any of these drivers or supervisory personnel for a period of twelve months following termination of the agreement. The agreement terminated on June 30, 1989.
Thereafter the defendant retained the services of W.R., Inc. to provide the courier services formerly provided by the plaintiff. W.R., Inc. had been under a lease agreement with the plaintiff until on or about May, 1989, pursuant to which W.R., Inc.'s principals and employees drove vehicles in performance and furtherance of plaintiff's agreement with the defendant. Plaintiff alleges in the first count that by retaining the services of W.R., Inc., the defendant breached the provision of paragraph 15, resulting in damages to the plaintiff.
This lease agreement with W.R., Inc., entered into by plaintiff's predecessor in interest (Central Delivery Service of Massachusetts, Inc.), contained a non-competition provision whereby W.R., Inc. promised not to provide courier services for any of plaintiff's customers or clients for a period of six months after W.R., Inc.'s termination of the lease. In May, 1989, W.R., Inc. terminated the lease with plaintiff and began providing courier services directly to the defendant, in violation of the non-competition provision of the lease agreement. CT Page 3207
On or about June 15, 1989, plaintiff and defendant agreed that if defendant used plaintiff's services in the greater Bridgeport area for one more year beginning on July 1, 1989, plaintiff would not seek to enjoin W.R., Inc. from providing similar services to the defendant in the greater Hartford area. Plaintiff did not seek this injunction. On or about October 11, 1989, the defendant informed plaintiff that it would completely discontinue its use of plaintiff's services, and since October 27, 1989 defendant has not used plaintiff's services. Plaintiff alleges in the second count that such action by the defendant constitutes a breach of the June 15th agreement, resulting in damages to the plaintiff.
In the third count plaintiff alleges that on or about June 15, 1989, the defendant promised the plaintiff that it would extend plaintiff's contract for one more year from July 1, 1989, in the greater Bridgeport area if plaintiff did not seek to enjoin W.R., Inc. from providing services to defendant in the greater Hartford area. Acting and relying on this promise, the plaintiff did not seek to enjoin W.R., Inc. for the six month period provided for in the lease between W.R., Inc. and plaintiff. On or about October 11, 1989, the defendant informed plaintiff that its services would no longer be used by the defendant, and since October 27, 1989 the defendant has not used plaintiff's services, in violation of its promise. As a result, the plaintiff has suffered damages.
The fourth count alleges that all of the foregoing acts constitute a violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. sec.
The defendant now moves to strike each count of the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Both parties have filed memoranda of law pursuant to Conn. Practice Book Sec. 155 (rev'd to 1978, as amended Oct. 1, 1989).
The defendant, in support of the motion to strike, argues that the contract underlying the claims in the first three counts of the complaint is unlawful, in violation of Conn. Gen. Stat. sec.
Defendant argues that the fourth count, alleging a CUTPA violation, should be stricken because a simple breach of contract, absent additional allegations of some conduct rising to the level of a CUTPA violation, does not violate CUTPA. finally, defendant argues that an allegation of a single act of misconduct is insufficient to state a claim under CUTPA.
The plaintiff argues in opposition to the motion to strike that the allegations of the complaint in no way set forth a contract in violation of either federal or Connecticut antitrust statutes. It argues that the complaint contains no language to suggest actual coercion by the plaintiff that forced the defendant to accept the services, or that the plaintiff had sufficient economic power in its market to coerce the defendant, or that the contracts were anti-competitive. Absent such allegations, plaintiff argues that there is no allegation of an illegal tying arrangement.
Plaintiff argues that its second count alleges not merely a simple breach of contract, but a "deliberate attempt from the inception of the agreement referred to in the second count to use the plaintiff's services not for a year but only until such time as the threat of an injunction against its new courier would be meaningless." For this reason, plaintiff argues that it can be inferred from the complaint that the act of the defendant was deceptive or unfair, and therefore a claim under CUTPA has been stated. Finally, plaintiff argues that a single alleged act of misconduct can constitute a violation of CUTPA.
A motion to strike tests the legal sufficiency of a pleading. Conn. Practice Book Sec. 152 (rev'd to 1978); Ferryman v. Groton,
Conn. Gen. Stat. sec.
Every lease, sale or contract for the furnishing or services . . . on the condition or understanding that the lessee or purchaser shall not deal in the services . . . of a competitor or competitors of the lessor or seller, shall be unlawful where the effect of such lease or sale or contract for sale or such condition or understanding may be to substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly in any part of trade or commerce . . . and where such services are for the use, consumption or resale in this state.
This section, patterned after Section 3 of the Clayton Act,
A "tying arrangement" is found in an agreement where anyone party agrees to sell one product or furnish a service on the condition that the buying party also buy a second product or service, or not purchase that product or service from another supplier. State v. Hossan-Maxwell, Inc.,
In this case, defendant argues that the contract alleged by plaintiff is per se illegal because it has a not insubstantial effect on commerce. In determining whether the effect on commerce is not insubstantial, "`the controlling consideration is simply whether a total amount of business, substantial enough in terms of dollar-volume so as not to be merely CT Page 3210 de minimis, is foreclosed to competitors by the tie. . . ."' Houssan-Maxwell, Inc.,
The Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA), Conn. Gen. Stat. sec.
`(1) Whether the practice, without necessarily having been previously considered unlawful, offends public policy as it has been established by statutes, the common law, or otherwise; . . . . (2) Whether it is immoral, unethical, oppressive or unscrupulous; (3) Whether it causes substantial injury to consumers (or competitors or other businessmen).'
Web Press Services Corp. v. New London Motors, Inc.,
"CUTPA is a consumer protection statute intended to provide an individual with an action more flexible and a remedy more complete than does common law." Sprayform, Inc. v. CT Page 3211 Durant's Rental Centers, Inc.,
The allegation of a simple breach of contract is insufficient to state a cause of action under CUTPA. See Luong v. Roy, 16 Conn. L. Trib. No. 33, p. 32 (Super.Ct., July 23, 1990, Goldberg, J.); Sachs v. Magnotti,
Accordingly, the motion to strike the first three counts of plaintiff's complaint is denied, and the motion to strike the fourth count is granted.
JOSEPH H. GOLDBERG, SENIOR JUDGE
State v. Hossan-Maxwell, Inc. , 181 Conn. 655 ( 1980 )
Levenstein v. Yale University , 40 Conn. Super. Ct. 123 ( 1984 )
Federal Trade Commission v. R. F. Keppel & Bro. Inc. , 54 S. Ct. 423 ( 1934 )
Connecticut State Oil Co. v. Carbone , 36 Conn. Super. Ct. 181 ( 1979 )
Murphy v. McNamara , 36 Conn. Super. Ct. 183 ( 1979 )
Sprayfoam, Inc. v. Durant's Rental Centers, Inc. , 39 Conn. Super. Ct. 78 ( 1983 )
Northern Pacific Railway Co. v. United States , 78 S. Ct. 514 ( 1958 )
Fortner Enterprises, Inc. v. United States Steel Corp. , 89 S. Ct. 1252 ( 1969 )
Federal Trade Commission v. Sperry & Hutchinson Co. , 92 S. Ct. 898 ( 1972 )