Morkirk, Inc. v. Walter E. Heller & Co.
Morkirk, Inc. v. Walter E. Heller & Co.
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM DECISION
Morkirk, Inc., a corporation,
On the same record with the “STIPULATION OF FACTS” entered into between counsel for the respective parties and their admissions, hereby incorporated into and made a part of this decision, the court finds and concludes: (1) that none of those contracts became binding legal obligations until they were dated and executed by Aid, Inc., a corporation in Chicago, Illinois
On the construction or interpretation of contracts such as these, it is the established rule in this state, that they are “to be interpreted according to the law and usage of the place where” they are “to be performed or, if” they do “not indicate a place of performance, according to the lato and usage of the place where” they are “made”, (emphasis supplied) SDC 10.0106 (1939), Briggs v. United Services Life Ins. Co., 80 S.D. 26, 117 N.W.2d 804 (1962), Westun v. Lincoln Nat. Life Ins. Co., 12 F.2d 422, (8 Cir. 1926), Dawson v. Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland, 189 F.Supp. 854 (S.D. 1961), and Minnesota Amusement Company v. Larkin, 299 F.2d 142 (8 Cir. 1962).
That section, aside from comity rules between the states and the settled law in Illinois, that such contracts are sales, not loans SDC 38.0101 (1939), and not usurious but transactions held valid in that state, Eames v. Hardin, 111 Ill. 634 (1889), Primley v. Shirk, 60 Ill.App. 312 (1895), aff’d 163 Ill. 389, 45 N.E. 247 (1896), In re Oakes, 267 F.2d 516 (C.A. 7 Ill. 1959) and the Annotations, 14 A.L.R.3d 1065, it is for this court, the forum, not to disturb but to uphold such established rights without any other choice, as these contracts in this case are challenged and under counterclaims sought to be enforced, Merchants’ & Manufacturers Securities Co. v. Johnson, 69 F.2d 940 (8 Cir. 1934), cert. den. 293 U.S. 569, 55 S.Ct. 80, 79 L.Ed. 668, Seeman v. Philadelphia Warehouse Co., 274 U.S. 403, 47 S.Ct. 626, 71 L.Ed. 1123, Big Four Mills v. Commercial Credit Co., 307 Ky. 612, 211 S.W.2d 831 (1948), Blackford v. Commercial Credit Corporation, 263 F.2d 97 (5 Cir. 1959), cert. den. 361 U.S. 825, 80 S.Ct. 74, 4 L.Ed.2d 69, Consolidated Jewelers, Inc. v. Standard Financial Corporation, 325 F.2d 31, (6 Cir. 1963), and Clarkson v. Finance Company of America at Baltimore, 328 F.2d 404 (4 Cir. 1964). Other overall authority is in the Annotation, 125 A.L.R. at 482.
Other tangible and uncontroverted facts and realistic inferences supporting the validity of these contracts are in the transactions preceding final closings, as they touched on and settled laundromat sites, feasibility of such operations, purchaser credit, procedure on how to close, how to finance, how to pay, and how a purchaser on a time price payment basis could have opportunity to succeed. This, as the court finds and concludes, was not a background for a scheme to circumvent the usury laws of any state, on the contrary a business pattern giving rise to business opportunities which otherwise did not exist. See Annotation, 14 A.L.R. 3d, Sec. 12 at 1126.
Other contentions made by counsel for the respective parties, in view of these conclusions, are deemed not material and this decision is to serve as the court’s findings of facts and conclusions of law.
Heller, accordingly, is hereby granted and awarded the relief sought in its. counterclaim, with attorney fees fixed at $500 and costs to be taxed by the clerk.
Counsel for the defendant will prepare and submit the judgment carrying these directions into full force and effect.
. A South Dakota corporation hereinafter referred to as Morkirk.
. See paragraph IV of Morkirk’s amended complaint.
. Hereinafter referred to as Aid.
. Hereinafter referred to as Heller.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MORKIRK, INC., a Corporation v. WALTER E. HELLER & COMPANY, a Corporation, Chicago, Illinois
- Status
- Published