Chih Shen Chen v. Inteplast Group, Ltd.
Chih Shen Chen v. Inteplast Group, Ltd.
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
This case is before the Court on Defendant and Counter-Plaintiff Inteplast Group, Ltd.’s (“Inteplast”) Motion for Partial Summary Judgment [Doc. # 52] (“In-teplast’s Motion for Summary Judgment”) and on Plaintiff and Counter-Defendant Chih Shen Chen’s (“Gary Chen”) Motion for Partial Summary Judgment [Doc. # 55] (“Gary Chen’s Motion for Summary Judgment”).
The background facts of this case are hotly contested. Because both parties have moved for summary judgment, the Court presents each party’s description of the facts, to the extent those descriptions are supported by the evidence of record.
A. The Parties ’ Agreements
Inteplast is a North American manufacturer and purchaser of plastic bags. In addition to purchasing plastic bags directly from foreign companies, Inteplast also outsources the manufacturing of bags to foreign companies.
Like Inteplast, Plaintiff Gary Chen is also in the business of manufacturing plastic bags. Gary Chen’s companies include or have included Alpha Plastics, Inc. and Spring Packaging, both Texas companies involved in the plastic bag industry.
In 2004, the United States Department of Commerce imposed anti-dumping tariffs on plastic bags imported from China, including those from Hong Jie.
APV was organized as a limited liability company (“LLC”) under the laws of Vietnam.
In 2005, Inteplast paid $180,000 in order to acquire a 20% shareholder interest in APV.
In 2006, APV sought to expand its capacity, at a cost of $1.5 million.
Inteplast made two additional capital contributions to APV. It contributed $200,000 and $100,000 on January 12, 2007, and April 10, 2007, respectively, to fund
Inteplast also made several loans to APV. Inteplast loaned APV $756,000 in 2007 in order to cover a shortfall in the expansion plan resulting from APV’s inability to obtain a bank loan.
As part of Inteplast’s 2008 loans, Gary Chen entered into a Personal Guarantee Agreement (“PGA”) in favor of Inteplast.
The parties’ relationship deteriorated in 2009. Inteplast “substantially reduced” its
At some point in 2009, the United States imposed anti-dumping tariffs on the import of plastic bags from Vietnam.
B. Potential Security Agreements
Meanwhile, on March 16, 2007, in connection with Inteplast’s $756,000 loan to APV, APV (as “Pledgor”) and Inteplast (as “Pledgee”) entered into a Chattel Pledge Agreement (“CPA”).
On February 13, 2012, over two years after APVs plant ceased operating and after this lawsuit was filed, Gary Chen, on behalf of APV, signed and delivered to Inteplast a pledge agreement (“First Pledge Agreement”).
Finally, on July 11, 2013, more than a year after the First Pledge Agreement, Gary Chen, on behalf of APV, signed a second pledge agreement (“Second Pledge Agreement”) in favor of Inteplast.
C. Gary Chen’s Claims and Intep-last’s Counterclaims
On January 31, 2012, Gary Chen filed this suit against Inteplast, seeking a declaratory judgment that the PGA is null and void and that he has no obligations under it.
On August 16, 2012, APV filed an inter-venor complaint against Inteplast, requesting a declaratory judgment that it has no obligation to repay Inteplast’s loans and claiming that Inteplast breached a purchase agreement between APV and Intep-last.
II. LEGAL STANDARDS
Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure mandates the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to make a sufficient showing of the existence of an element essential to the party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden at trial. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Little v. Liquid Air Corp., 37 F.3d 1069, 1075 (5th Cir. 1994) (en banc); see also Baton Rouge Oil and Chem. Workers Union v. ExxonMobil Corp., 289 F.3d 373, 375 (5th Cir. 2002). Summary judgment “should be rendered if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.
For summary judgment, the initial burden falls on the movant to identify areas essential to the non-movant’s claim in which there is an “absence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Lincoln Gen. Ins. Co. v. Reyna, 401 F.3d 347, 349 (5th Cir. 2005). The moving party, however, need not negate the elements of the non-mov-ant’s case. See Boudreaux v. Swift Transp. Co., 402 F.3d 536, 540 (5th Cir. 2005). The moving party may meet its burden by pointing out “‘the absence of evidence supporting the nonmoving party’s case.’” Duffy v. Leading Edge Prods., Inc., 44 F.3d 308, 312 (5th Cir. 1995) (quoting Skotak v. Tenneco Resins, Inc., 953 F.2d 909, 913 (5th Cir. 1992)).
If the moving party meets its initial burden, the non-movant must go beyond the pleadings and designate specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue of material fact for trial. Littlefield v. Forney Indep. Sch. Dist., 268 F.3d 275, 282 (5th Cir. 2001) (internal citation omitted). “An issue is material if its resolution could affect the outcome of the action. A dispute as to a material fact is genuine if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” DIRECTV Inc. v. Robson, 420 F.3d 532, 536 (5th Cir. 2005) (internal citations omitted).
In deciding whether a genuine and material fact issue has been created, the court reviews the facts and inferences to be drawn from them in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Reaves Brokerage Co. v. Sunbelt Fruit & Vegetable Co., 336 F.3d 410, 412 (5th Cir. 2003). The non-movant’s burden is not met by mere reliance on the allegations or denials in the non-movant’s pleadings. See King v. Dogan, 31 F.3d 344, 346 (5th Cir. 1994) (holding that unverified pleadings do not “constitute competent summary judgment evidence”). Likewise, “eonclusory allegations” or “unsubstantiated assertions” do not meet the non-movant’s burden. Delta & Pine Land Co. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Ins. Co., 530 F.3d 395, 399 (5th Cir. 2008). Instead, the nonmoving party must present specific facts which show “the existence of a genuine issue concerning every essential component of its case.” Am. Eagle Airlines, Inc. v. Air Line Pilots Ass’n, Int’l, 343 F.3d 401, 405 (5th Cir. 2003) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). In the absence of any proof, the court will not assume that the non-movant could or would prove the necessary facts. Little, 37 F.3d at 1075 (citing Lujan v. Nat’l Wildlife Fed’n, 497 U.S. 871, 888, 110 S.Ct. 3177, 111 L.Ed.2d 695 (1990)).
The Court may make no credibility determinations or weigh any evidence, and must disregard all evidence favorable to the moving party that the jury is not required to believe. See Chaney v. Dreyfus Serv. Corp., 595 F.3d 219, 229 (5th Cir. 2010) (citing Reaves Brokerage Co., 336 F.3d at 412-413). The Court is not required to accept the nonmovant’s eoncluso-ry allegations, speculation, and unsubstantiated assertions which are either entirely unsupported, or supported by a mere scintilla of evidence. Id. (citing Reaves Brokerage, 336 F.3d at 413). Affidavits cannot preclude summary judgment unless they contain competent and otherwise admissible evidence. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)(4); Love v. Nat’l Med. Enters., 230 F.3d 765, 776 (5th Cir. 2000); Hunter-Reed v. City of Houston, 244 F.Supp.2d 733, 745 (S.D.Tex. 2003). A party’s self-serving and unsupported statement in an affidavit will not defeat summary judgment where the evidence in the record is to the contrary. See In re Hinsley, 201
Finally, “[w]hen evidence exists in the summary judgment record but the non-movant fails even to refer to it in the response to the motion for summary judgment, that evidence is not properly before the district court.” Malacara v. Garber, 353 F.3d 393, 405 (5th Cir. 2003). “Rule 56 does not impose upon the district court a duty to sift through the record in search of evidence to support a party’s opposition to summary judgment.” See id. (internal citations and quotations omitted).
III. INTEPLAST’S CLAIMS AGAINST GARY CHEN
Inteplast moves for summary judgment on (a) its breach of PGA claim against Gary Chen
A. Inteplast’s Breach of PGA Claim
Under the PGA, Gary Chen “unconditionally guarantees prompt payment when due of any existing or future Indebtedness of [APV].”
Gary Chen does not dispute that APV is indebted to Inteplast based on the loans Inteplast provided APV. Rather, Gary Chen argues that there are genuine issues of material fact as to the validity of the Nullity Provision and whether the pledge agreements give Inteplast a “security interest” that prevents the Court from granting Inteplast’s motion.
1. Choice of Law
“In making a choice of law determination, a federal court exercising diver
The PGA contains a New Jersey choice of law provision.
The parties disagree, however, about the law applicable to determining whether the Nullity Provision has been met. According to its terms, written in English by Gary Chen, the Nullity Provision applies if Inteplast “acquires security interest on [APV’s] property.”
Under the PGA, the Court must initially look to New Jersey law to apply the Nullity Provision and thus determine whether Inteplast has acquired a security interest. It appears that New Jersey courts would look to the law of the situs of the property to determine whether Inteplast acquired an interest in that property.
2. Is the Nullity Provision Part of the PGA?
In its Motion for Summary Judgment, Inteplast intimates that the Nullity Provision is invalid.
New Jersey courts have adopted the parol evidence rule, which “prohibits the introduction of evidence that tends to alter an integrated written document.” Conway v. 287 Corporate Center Associates, 187 N.J. 259, 901 A.2d 341, 346 (2006) (citing Restatement (Seoond) of Contracts § 213 (1981)). The rule applies to “documentary as well as oral evidence.” Id. (citing 9 Wigmore on Evidence § 2400, at 5 (Chadbourn rev. 1981)). Furthermore, to the extent parol evidence is permissible, “[s]uch evidence is adducible only for the purpose of interpreting the writing — not for the purpose of modifying or enlarging or curtailing its terms, but to aid in determining the meaning of what has been said.” Id. at 347 (quoting Atlantic N. Airlines, Inc. v. Schwimmer, 12 N.J. 293, 96 A.2d 652, 656 (1953)).
The Court concludes that the Nullity Provision is validly part of the PGA under New Jersey law. The PGA is an integrated agreement signed by Gary Chen and accepted by Inteplast through its conduct in lending APV money. See Chance v. McCann, 405 N.J.Super. 547, 966 A.2d 29, 41 n. 6 (2009) (citing the Restatement (Second) of Contracts for the proposition that “[a]n integrated agreement is a writing or writings constituting a final expression of one or more terms of an agreement”). There is no ambiguity in the PGA other than in the meaning of the Nullity Provision. Inteplast merely seeks to excise the Nullity Provision from the PGA based on parol evidence that purportedly shows that it did not intend to agree to that provision. Parol evidence is impermissible in this case, and the Nullity Provision is therefore a part of the PGA.
Gary Chen contends that the PGA is void because, he argues, the Nullity Provision has been satisfied and Inteplast now has a “security interest” in APV. In particular, he argues that three instruments, the CPA, First Pledge Agreement, and Second Pledge Agreement, have conveyed to Inteplast a security interest in APV’s property.
Inteplast, in contrast, argues that none of these instruments are sufficient to convey to Inteplast a legally cognizable security interest in APV’s property. Inteplast contends that APV never actually “delivered” any property to Inteplast, and that Chen did not have legal authority in signing the CPA and First Pledge Agreement to award Inteplast a security interest in any of APV’s property.
Genuine issues of material fact prevent the Court from granting Inteplast summary judgment on its breach of PGA claim. For instance, the Nullity Provision itself is ambiguous. On the one hand, the provision can be read to provide for nullification of the PGA once Inteplast acquires “some” security interest in APV’s property, however minimal that interest may be. On the other hand, the provision can reasonably be interpreted to mean that Intep-last must acquire a security interest in “all” of APV’s property, or at least an interest large enough to cover Inteplast’s loans to APV, in order to nullify the PGA.
[8] Similarly, legal and factual disputes remain concerning whether Gary Chen’s unilateral conveyance of a security interest in certain APV assets to Inteplast was
Additionally, other genuine material legal disputes concerning Vietnamese law remain.
The parties’ experts have also presented conflicting opinions about the effectiveness of pledges of collateral as security for indebtedness in the absence of registration or a public filing of notice of the conveyance. Inteplast’s expert on Vietnamese law states that “secured transactions involving assets attached to land in Vietnam must be registered in order to be enforee
Accordingly, the Court denies Intep-last’s Motion for Summary Judgment on its claim for breach of the PGA.
B. Inteplast’s Non-PGA Claims
Inteplast’s remaining counterclaims are not models of clarity, and the Court has struggled to decipher precisely the causes of action alleged. With the aid of the parties’ briefing and counsels’ clarifications at oral argument, held on January 15, 2014, the Court determines Inteplast’s claims are the following:
Inteplast sues for breach of contract claiming that Gary Chen breached several separate agreements
Inteplast also identifies the following alleged misrepresentations that it claims constitute common law and statutory
1. Choice of Law for Inteplast’s Other Counterclaims
As noted above,
(a) the needs of the interstate and international systems;
(b) the relevant policies of the forum;
(c) the relevant policies of other interested states and the relative interests of those states in the determination of the particular issue;
(d) the protection of justified expectations;
(e) the basic policies underlying the particular field of law;
(f) certainty, predictability, and uniformity of result; and
(g) ease in determination and application of the law to be applied.
Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 6(2).
a. Breach of Contract Claims
In addition, “[t]he rights and duties of the parties with respect to an issue in contract are determined by the local law of the state which, with respect to that issue, has the most significant relationship to the transaction and the parties under the principles stated in § 6.” Restatement (Second) Conflict of Laws § 188(1). Where, as here, there is no valid choice of law provision in the contract, the more specific matters to be considered in the § 6 analysis include:
(a) the place of contracting,
(b) the place of negotiation of the contract,
(c) the place of performance,
(d) the location of the subject matter of the contract, and
(e) the domicile, residence, nationality, place of incorporation and place of business of the parties.
Id., § 188(2); see Henry Schein, Inc. v. Stromboe, 102 S.W.3d 675, 696 (Tex. 2003) (citing Section 188 of the Restatement).
The parties disagree about which jurisdiction’s law applies to Inteplast’s
The Court must carry with the ease the issue of the law applicable to Inteplast’s breach of contract counterclaim. The parties’ briefing and evidence are inadequate to establish, as a matter of law, which jurisdiction’s law applies to this claim.
b. Fraud Claims
The parties disagree about which jurisdiction’s law applies to Inteplast’s claims of common law fraud and statutory fraud.
With regard to claims of fraud, the Restatement states that “[w]hen the plaintiff has suffered pecuniary harm on account of his reliance on the defendant’s false representations and when the plaintiffs action in reliance took place in the state where the false representations were made and received, the local law of this state determines the rights and liabilities of the parties.” Restatement (Seoond) of Conflict of Laws § 148(1). Where, however, “plaintiffs action in reliance took place in whole or in part in a state other than that where the false representations were made,” a court should consider:
(a) the place, or places, where the plaintiff acted in reliance upon the defendant’s representations,
(b) the place where the plaintiff received the representations,
(c) the place where the defendant made the representations,
(d) the domicil, residence, nationality, place of incorporation and place of business of the parties,
(e) the place where a tangible thing which is the subject of the transaction between the parties was situated at the time, and
(f)the place where the plaintiff is to render performance under a contract which he has been induced to enter by the false representations of the defendant.
Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 148(2).
The parties have introduced evidence that presents the parties’ domicil and/or residence
2. Statute of Limitations on Inteplast’s Non-PGA Counterclaims
a. Legal Standard
Gary Chen argues that each of Inteplast’s counterclaims is barred by the applicable statute of limitations under Texas limitations law. Notwithstanding the Court’s inability to decide the applicable
In Texas, breach of contract claims carry a four-year limitations period. See Texas Civ. Prao. & Rem.Code § 16.051 (stating that all claims “for which there is no express limitations period ... must be brought not later than four years after the day the cause of action accrues”); Stine v. Stewart, 80 S.W.3d 586, 592 (Tex. 2002). Fraud claims are also subject to a four-year limitations period. Texas Civ. Prao. & Rem.Code § 16.004(a) (“A person must bring suit on the following actions not later than four years after the day the cause of action accrues ... (4) fraud”).
Under Texas law, the discovery rule “defers the accrual of a claim until the plaintiff knew or, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have known of the wrongfully caused injury.” J.M.K. 6, Inc. v. Gregg & Gregg, P.C., 192 S.W.3d 189, 196 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2006, no pet.) (citing Wagner & Brown, Ltd. v. Horwood, 58 S.W.3d 732, 735 (Tex. 2001)). The discovery rule “only defers accrual of a claim until the plaintiff discovers, or should have discovered through reasonable diligence, the injury and that [the injury] was likely caused by the wrongful acts of another.” Id. The inquiry focuses on when “the plaintiff, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have discovered the ‘nature of his injury.’ ” Id. at 197 (quoting Childs v. Haussecker, 974 S.W.2d 31, 40 (Tex. 1998)). It is not an inquiry into the “plaintiff’s subjective belief as to whether the injury could be remedied affordably” or whether plaintiff knew the extent of its damages. Id.; see also id. (citing Schneider Nat’l Carriers, Inc. v. Bates, 147 S.W.3d 264, 279 (Tex. 2004) (“[E]ven when the discovery rule applies, accrual occurs upon notice of injury, even if the claimant does not yet know the full extent of damages or the chances of avoiding them.”)).
The Texas Supreme Court has “restricted the discovery rule to exceptional cases to avoid defeating the purposes behind the limitations statutes.” Via Net v. TIG Ins. Co., 211 S.W.3d 310, 313 (Tex. 2006). In Texas, courts may only apply the discovery rule “when an injury is both inherently undiscoverable and objectively verifiable.” Schneider Nat’l Carriers, 147 S.W.3d at 279. “Inherently undiscovera-ble” means that the injury is “by its na
b. Analysis
i. Inteplast’s Breach of Contract Claims
As noted, Inteplast asserts that Gary Chen breached three separate agreements he entered into with Inteplast. The Court addresses each alleged agreement in turn.
Agreement to Register. — First, Inteplast alleges that Gary Chen breached an agreement that, if it invested with APV, Gary Chen would register Inteplast as a shareholder in APV with Vietnamese authorities. The Court holds this breach of contract theory is time-barred.
Under both Texas and New Jersey law,
The discovery rule does not aid Inteplast on this breach of contract claim. Parties to a contract must “protect [their] own interests,” and “[d]ue diligence may include asking a contract partner for information needed to verify contractual performance.” Via Net, 211 S.W.3d at 314. While the facts of a specific case “do not govern the categorical inquiry,” id., the
This is not the type of “rare” claim in which the discovery rule can trump normal limitations periods in breach of contract claims. See id. at 315 (“Some contract breaches may be inherently discoverable and objectively verifiable. But those cases should be rare, as diligent contracting parties should generally discovery any breach during the relatively long four-year limitations period provided for such claims.”). The Court thus concludes that Inteplast’s claim accrued more than four years before this suit was filed, and the discovery rule does not defer the claim’s accrual. This claim is therefore dismissed as barred by the statute of limitations.
Agreement to Contribute Pro Rata. — Inteplast also alleges that Gary Chen breached an agreement to contribute additional capital on a “pro rata basis” if Inteplast contributed an additional $300,000 to APV’s capital. Here too, Gary Chen argues that Inteplast’s claim is unfounded because Gary Chen’s actually made his required contribution, and in any event Inteplast’s “knew or should have known that nature of its alleged injuries ... prior to August 15, 2008.”
The Court holds that this claim is barred by Texas’ four-year limitations period. The putative agreement between Inteplast and Gary Chen to mutually increase their capital contributions to APV was undertaken to enable APV’s 2006 plant expansion.
The discovery rule does not aid Inteplast here. Inteplast was duty-bound to protect its own interests and to ensure that Gary Chen had met his commitment to make the required contribution. Intep-last had various ways in 2007 to determine if Gary Chen had done so, such as obtaining written evidence of the funds transfer. This breach of contract claim therefore accrued in 2007 and is time-barred. Accordingly, Gary Chen is entitled to summary judgment on this breach of contract claim as well.
Agreement to Increase APV’s Production. — Inteplast also alleges that Gary Chen breached an oral agreement that he would cause APV to increase its production capacity to 900 tons if Inteplast loaned additional funds to APV. There is no dispute that APV never reached this production threshold. Gary Chen, however, argues that, assuming such agreement was entered into, Inteplast should have known that the agreement was breached by late 2007.
The Court denies summary judgment on this claim. The putative agreement, as presented to the Court, lacks essential terms to decide this question at this summary judgment stage. In particular, it is unclear whether Gary Chen was required to immediately cause APV’s production to increase or whether he was given a reasonable amount of time to effectuate that expansion. Assuming the latter, the Court cannot infer from the record what the parties may have intended with regard to Gary Chen’s obligation under this particular agreement or what would otherwise be a reasonable time for his performance. This issue is particularly difficult to decide in light of APV’s initial inability to secure proper bank financing for its expansion. Thus, the Court cannot determine when this agreement allegedly was breached and whether Inteplast’s current claim is time-barred. The Court accordingly denies Gary Chen’s summary judgment motion on this claim.
Gary Chen also asserts that each of Inteplast’s fraud claims is barred by the four-year limitations period. The statements that Inteplast identifies as fraudulent essentially track Inteplast’s breach of contract theories. Because breach of contract and fraud claims carry the same four-year limitations period under Texas law, the limitations period bars a fraud claim where it bars the parallel contract action. Accordingly, for the reasons stated above,
IV. GARY CHEN’S AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES
In addition to his limitations defenses addressed above, Gary Chen generally asserts seven affirmative defenses to Intep-last’s claims: (1) prior material breach of contract; (2) promissory estoppel; (3) equitable estoppel; (4) unclean hands; (5) offset; (6) fraud in the inducement; and (7) laches. Inteplast moves for summary judgment on each of the defenses. The Court here addresses only Gary Chen’s defenses No. 1 through 6 to Inteplast’s breach of the PGA claim.
A. Prior Material Breach
Under New Jersey law,
B. Promissory Estoppel
To establish a claim of promissory estoppel under New Jersey law, a party must establish: “1) a clear and definite promise, 2) made with the expectation that the promisee will rely upon it, 3) reasonable reliance upon the promise, 4) which results in definite and substantial detriment.” Lobiondo v. O’Callaghan, 357 N.J.Super. 488, 815 A.2d 1013, 1020 (2003). Gary Chen asserts that Inteplast promised his guarantee would be void once Inteplast acquired a security interest in APV’s property, that “it was clearly foreseeable that Gary Chen would rely on” that promise, and that he in fact relied on the promise by executing the PGA.
Promissory estoppel is an equitable doctrine that usually serves as an equitable avenue for affirmative relief in lieu of a breach of contract claim. See Ballard v. Schoenberg, 224 N.J.Super. 661, 541 A.2d 258, 260 (1988) (“Promissory estoppel is a closely related equitable doctrine, not itself a cause of action ex contractu, supplanting or obviating other proof of consideration.”). Gary Chen appears to advance a promissory estoppel theory as a defense to payment under the PGA should the Court deem the Nullity Provision invalid.
C. Equitable Estoppel
Gary Chen claims that Intep-last should be equitably estopped from asserting a claim for breach of the 2008 PGA because “Inteplast made the false representations that it would purchase at least 600 metric tons per month and that Gary Chen’s guarantee would be voided,” and that he relied on these representations “by contributing $300,000 [in 2007] towards APV’s expansion and by executing the [PGA] guarantee [in 2008].”
The chronology of events is far from clear in the summary judgment record, and the Court concludes summary judgment is not warranted here. For instance, there are genuine issues of fact about when and what was said by representatives of each party, the parties’ motivations in making those representations, and what financial contributions actually were made and when. Thus, the Court denies Intep-last’s motion for summary judgment on Gary Chen’s equitable estoppel defense.
D. Unclean Hands
The doctrine of unclean hands provides that “a suitor in equity must come into court with clean hands and he must keep them clean after his entry and throughout the proceedings.” Borough of Princeton v. Bd. of Chosen Freeholders of Cnty. of Mercer, 169 N.J. 135, 777 A.2d 19, 32 (2001). The doctrine is equitable in nature, and “merely gives expression to the equitable principle that a court should not grant relief to one who is a wrongdoer with respect to the subject matter in suit.” Id.
With respect to the PGA, Gary Chen argues that Inteplast has unclean hands because it has refused to accept a security interest that APV desires to give it in order to satisfy Inteplast’s loans.
E. Offset
Offset (or “setoff’) is a defense seeking “an affirmative recovery on a claim that may be independent of the transaction upon which the plaintiffs claim is based.” Beneficial Fin. Co. of Atlantic City v. Swaggerty, 86 N.J. 602, 432 A.2d 512, 516 (1981). Gary Chen asserts, by way of setoff, that Inteplast breached its May 22, 2006 Agreement to purchase 600 metric tons of plastic bags per month from APV.
The Court denies summary judgment on this defense. While a guarantor generally “cannot rely on an independent cause of action existing in favor of the principal against the creditor as a defense or counterclaim,” there is some authority that she may do so under New Jersey law when “the principal is insolvent.” Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC v. Plummer & Assocs., Inc., 2009 WL 3230840, at *2 (D.N.J. Oct. 2, 2009). First, the parties have not submitted evidence or meaningfully argued whether APV is or was at some relevant time insolvent. Even assuming APV is and, at times relevant to the claims and defenses, was insol
F. Fraud in the Inducement
Under New Jersey law, an injured party may seek rescission of a contract induced by fraud. Nolan, 577 A.2d at 146. “The elements of fraud in the inducement are: a misrepresentation of material fact; knowledge or belief by the defendant of its falsity; intent that the other party rely on the misrepresentation; and reasonable reliance thereon by the other party.” Ginsberg v. Bistricer, 2007 WL 987169, at *15 (N.J.Super.Ct.App.Div. Apr. 4, 2007) (citing Nolan, 577 A.2d at 146). Gary Chen asserts that Inteplast “promised that the guarantee would be voided once Inteplast has a security inter
The Court grants Inteplast summary judgment on this defense. Gary Chen has failed to offer any evidence and thus raise a genuine fact issue on at least one element of this defense. In particular, there is no evidence that Inteplast knew that its promise to void the PGA once it received a security interest in APVs property was false when made. The Court accordingly grants summary judgment on this defense.
V. CONCLUSION AND ORDER
The Court dismisses Inteplast’s breach of contract claim on two of three agreements Inteplast seeks to enforce and dismisses its common law fraud and statutory fraud claims on four of five alleged misrepresentations by Gary Chen.
The Court leaves for trial (1) Inteplast’s breach of the PGA claim; (2) Gary Chen’s equitable estoppel and offset defenses to that claim; (3) Inteplast’s breach of contract claim regarding the putative agreement that Gary Chen would cause APV to increase its production capacity to 900 tons per month if Inteplast loaned additional funds to APV; (4) Inteplast’s fraud claim regarding Gary Chen’s alleged misrepresentation that he would cause APV’s production to increase to 900 tons per month if Inteplast loaned additional funds to APV; and (5) Gary Chen’s affirmative defenses to the remaining breach of contract and fraud claims. Also remaining for trial are Gary Chen’s declaratory judgment claim against Inteplast, APV’s claims against Inteplast, Inteplast’s claims against APV, and any defenses any party asserts as to these latter claims.
For the reasons stated, it is hereby
ORDERED that Inteplast’s Motion for Judicial Notice of Foreign Law [Doc. # 33] is DENIED. It is further
ORDERED that Plaintiffs Chih Shen Chen and Alpha Plastics (Vietnam) Co. Ltd’s Motion for Judicial Notice of Foreign Law [Doc. # 56] is DENIED. It is further
ORDERED that Defendant Inteplast Group, Ltd.’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Claims Against Chih Shen Chen [Doc. #52] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. It is further
ORDERED that Plaintiff Chih Shen Chen’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Inteplast’s Claims of Fraud and Statutory Fraud [Doc. # 55] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. It is further
ORDERED that a conference in this case is set for April 8, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. Counsel should come to the conference prepared to provide the Court with the names of proposed agreed mediators (approved by their clients) for a second mediation of this case. It is further
. For ease of reference, Inteplast will be referred to as “Defendant” and Gary Chen and Alpha Plastics (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. (“APV”) by their names individually or "Plaintiffs” collectively.
. Gary Chen filed a Response to Inteplast’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 62], to which Inteplast filed a Reply [Doc. #73] and Sur-reply [Doc. # 80] and Gary Chen filed a Sur-reply [Doc. #78] and Supplemental Brief [Doc. # 79]. Inteplast filed a Response to Gary Chen’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 76], to which Gary Chen filed a Reply [Doc. # 77] and Supplemental Brief [Doc. # 79]. No response was filed to either Motion for Judicial Notice of Foreign Law.
. The Court does not rely on assertions in the parties' briefs that lack supporting admissible evidence.
. Deposition of Chin Joe Chen [Exh. 1 to Doc. # 62] ("Joe Chen Dep.”), at 62:8-23.
. Id., at 61:23-62:7.
. Deposition of Chih Shen Chen [Exh. 1 to Doc. # 52] ("Gary Chen Dep.”), at 9:4-11:19.
. Declaration of Chih Shen Chen [Ex. 4 to Doc. # 62] ("Gary Chen Decl.”), ¶ 1.
. Id.; Gary Chen Dep., at 20:14-23. An anti-dumping tariff is "[a] tarriff equaling the difference between the price at which the product is sold in the exporting country and the price at which the importer will sell the product in the importing country” which are "designed to prevent foreign businesses from artificially lowering their prices and gaining unfair advantages outside their home market.” Black's Law Dictionary 1593 (9th ed. 2009).
. Gary Chen Deck, ¶¶ 1-2.
. Id., ¶ 1.
. Id. APV’s only customers were Inteplast and Spring Packaging. Gary Chen Dep., at 40:18-41:4.
. Declaration of Le Thi Hoa, dated February 18, 2013 [Exh. 6 to Doc. #52] ("First Hoa Decl.”), ¶ 7.
. Letter to Alpha Plastic (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. from People’s Committee of Tay Ninh Province, Economic Zone Authority [Exh. 9 to Doc. # 52], V 4.
. Id.; First Hoa Decl., ¶ 7. Under Vietnamese law, the "legal representative” of a company "has sole authority to direct and undertake certain acts on behalf of the company,” including entering contracts on behalf of the company. See Third Declaration of Le Thi Hoa, dated May 31, 2013 [Exh. 8 to Doc.
. Declaration of Mi-Yi Chen [Exh. 10 to Doc. # 76] ("Mi-Yi Chen Decl.”), at 1; Third Hoa Decl., ¶ 7.
. Gary Chen Decl., V 6. Gary Chen attaches to his declaration (1) purported Minutes of Meeting of a meeting of APV’s Members Council held on July 5, 2013 (Exhibit C); and (2) a purported power of attorney from Mi-Yi Chen allowing Gary Chen to become APV’s legal representative (Exhibit D). No English translations are provided for either of these documents, and thus the Court does not rely on them as evidence for summary judgment purposes.
. Gary Chen Dep., at 44:17-21; Declaration of Ben Tseng [Exh. 14 to Doc. # 52] ("Ben Tseng Decl.”), ¶ 3.
. Gary Chen Dep., at 44:22-45:9; Ben Tseng Decl., ¶ 3.
. Second Declaration of Ben Tseng [Exh. 1 to Doc. # 76] ("Second Ben Tseng Decl.”), ¶ 2.
. Gary Chen Dep., at 45:10-46:22.
. Gary Chen Decl., ¶ 3.
. Supplemental Statement for 5-18-06 Vietnam Plant Expansion Plan [Exh. 5 to Doc. # 62] ("May 22, 2006 Agreement"), ¶ A.
. Deposition of Ben Tseng [Exh. 3 to Doc. #78] ("Ben Tseng Dep.”), at 90:12-15. In-teplast suggests that IBS is incorporated but provides no documentary support for this assertion. Inteplast cites only to the May 22, 2006 Agreement, which merely uses "IBS” without an indication that IBS is a incorporation. See Inteplast's Reply [Doc. # 73], at 11-12; May 22, 2006 Agreement, ¶¶ B-D.
. May 22, 2006 Agreement, 11V A-B.
. May 22, 2006 Agreement, ¶¶ C-D. This agreement, termed a “Supplemental Statement for May 18, 2006 Vietnam Plant Expansion Plan,” was translated from an original document drafted in Chinese. Gary Chen attached to his complaint a substantially similar translation of the document. See Addendum, May 22, 2006, Expansion of Vietnam Factory [Doc. # 19-1]. That translation states that Inteplast’s agreement to order a minimum number of tons per month occurs "[i]f the above conditions are met” (i.e., if APV produces the requisite number of bags under the supplemental statement). Id., V C.
. Gary Chen Dep., at 65:7-66:23; Ben Tseng DecL, ¶ 3.
. Second Ben Tseng DecL, ¶ 3.
. Gary Chen DecL, ¶ 3; Gary Chen Dep., at 67:3-68:17. The relationship between Alpha Century Global and the parties in this case is not established in the record.
. Mi-Yi Chen DecL, at 1.
. Ben Tseng DecL, ¶ 4; Mi-Yi Chen DecL, at 1. APV, through Gary Chen, provided a "Chattel Pledge Agreement" ("CPA”) to In-teplast in conjunction with this loan. The CPA is described in the next section. See infra Part I.B.
. Ben Tseng DecL, ¶ 4
. See Ben Tseng Dep. [Exh. 5 to Doc. # 76], at 130:18-131:9.
. Personal Guarantee Agreement [Exh. 12 to Doc. # 52] (“PGA”). The PGA, along with the Nullity Provision, were drafted and signed in English.
. Id., ¶ 2.
. Id., ¶ 12.
. Email from Ben Tseng to Alpha Plastics, dated July 16, 2008, and accompanying attachment [Exh. 11 to Doc. # 52], at 3.
. Gary Chen DecL, ¶ 5.
. Ben Tseng DecL, ¶ 5.
. PGA, ¶ 10 ("This Guarantee shall be governed by the law of the state of New Jersey without regard to the rules concerning choice of law ...”).
. Gary Chen’s Response [Doc. # 62], at 5-6; Summary of Inteplast’s Purchases [Exh. 8 to Doc. # 62]. Spring Packaging, a Texas-based purchaser of plastic bags owned by Gary Chen, also stopped purchasing bags from APV around this time. Gary Chen Dep., at 39:15-40:10.
. Ben Tseng Deck, ¶ 6.
. See Inteplast’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 52], at 5-6; Gary Chen Dep., at 38:18-22.
. Gary Chen Dep., at 38:18-22.
. Ben Tseng Dep. [Exh. 2 to Doc. # 62], at 93:3-25.
. Id., at 96:22-97:6.
. Defendant and Counterplaintiff Inteplast Group, Ltd.’s Third Amended Answer to Chih Shen Chen’s First Amended Complaint and Amended Counterclaim [Doc. # 22] ("Answer to Gary Chen”), ¶ 35.
. See Chattel Pledge Agreement [Exh. 15 to Doc. # 52], at 1. Gary Chen signed the CPA on behalf of APV and Robert Wang signed for Inteplast. Id., at 4.
. Id.
. Id.
. See Ben Tseng Deck, ¶ 7. It is unclear what “delivery” Inteplast conceives of in this respect, as the property purportedly covered by the CPA was a "building and factory” and "equipment” (presumably, large machines) located in Vietnam.
. Third Hoa Deck, ¶ 4.
. Chattel Pledge Agreement, at 4 ("This agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”).
. Pledge Agreement, dated February 13, 2012 [Ex. 16 to Doc. # 52],
. See id., at 2.
. Id., at 1.
. Id., at 1-2.
. Pledge Agreement, dated July 11, 2013 [Exh. G to Exh. 4 to Doc. # 62].
. Id.
. Plaintiffs First Amended Complaint [Doc. # 19] ("Complaint”), ¶¶ 16-19. A former plaintiff in this case, Fu Chuan Wang, dismissed with prejudice all of her claims against Inteplast. Id., at 1 n. 1
. Answer to Gary Chen, ¶¶ 39-55.
. APV’s Intervenor Complaint [Doc. # 24], ¶¶ 14-17.
. Inteplast's Answer to APV’s Intervenor Complaint [Doc. # 25] ("Answer to APV”), ¶¶ 18-28. On August 16, 2013, the Court denied as moot a motion to dismiss APV’s Intervenor Complaint [Doc. # 72],
. Answer to Gary Chen, ¶¶ 39-44.
. Id.,n 46-49.
. The Court also takes notice of the other claims pending in this case which are not the subject of any motion for summary judgment, namely Gary Chen’s declaratory judgment claim against Inteplast, APV's declaratory judgment and breach of contract claims against Inteplast, and Inteplast's breach of contract, common law fraud, and statutory fraud claims against APV.
. PGA, ¶1.
. Answer to Gary Chen, ¶ 40.
. Inteplast's Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 52], at 7-16.
. Gary Chen's Response [Doc. # 62], at 8-14.
. PGA, ¶ 10.
. See Plaintiff's Memorandum of Law on Choice-of-Law [Doc. # 84], at 5-6; Defendant’s Submission of Jurisdictional Law [Doc. #85], ¶ 11.
. PGA, ¶ 12. The quoted language appears to lack an article ("a” or “the”) or adjective {e.g., "any”) before “security interest,” which may have helped to elucidate the term's meaning. Reviewing Gary Chen’s deposition, the Court notes that English may not be Gary Chen’s first language.
. Inteplast’s Submission of Jurisdictional Law [Doc. # 85], ¶¶ 24-30.
. Gary Chen's Response [Doc. # 62], at 9-10.
. The Court has not located, nor have the parties pointed the Court to, any New Jersey case law on point.
. See Inteplast's Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. #52], at 16. Inteplast does not directly argue that the Nullity Provision is an invalid part of the contract and, in any event, does not explain its position in any detail or cite any legal authority in support of its position.
. Id.
. See Chance, 966 A.2d at 41 ("Because there is no ambiguity in the agreement as written with respect to that issue, there is no need for parol or extrinsic evidence to interpret it .... Simply put, [defendant] wishes to use parol evidence to demonstrate that, when the partnership agreement says that 'there is due to [plaintiff] as of August 1, 1998, an amount of $636,000,' it really means that [plaintiff] was owed $160,000. The parol evidence rule does not permit him to do so.”).
. See Inteplast’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 52], at 8-11.
. See id.., at 9-10.
. See Inteplast’s Supplemental Brief [Doc. #91], at 10-14.
. See Inteplast’s Reply [Doc. # 73], at 8-10.
. The Nullity Provision is also unclear whether APV, to nullify the PGA, was required to provide Inteplast with a security interest in specific parts of its property, such as its land, and the relevant pledge agreements are unclear whether APV actually pledged an interest in its land.
.The Court notes that under New Jersey law an ambiguous writing is “to be strictly construed against the party preparing it,” Schor v. FMS Fin. Corp., 357 N.J.Super. 185, 814 A.2d 1108, 1113 (2002) (quoting Orange Twp. v. Empire Mortg. Serv., Inc., 341 N.J.Super. 216, 775 A.2d 174, 181 (2001)), and the parties do not contest that Gary Chen drafted the Nullity Provision.
. Foreign law must be proven with sufficient clarity to allow the Court to apply the law to the claims at issue. See In re Avantel, S.A., 343 F.3d 311, 321 (5th Cir. 2003) (“As the party moving to apply Mexican privilege law, Avantel had the burden of proving its substance to a reasonable certainty such that the district court could apply it to the documents at issue.”).
. The Court notes that Gary Chen’s own expert on Vietnamese law intimates that In-teplast can reject the pledge agreements by refusing to accept the security interest offered. See Declaration of Nguyen Anh Hao [Exh. 11 to Doc. # 62] ("Nguyen Anh Hao Decl.”), ¶7 ("Article 122.1 of the Civil Code allows Inteplast the option to invalidate the Pledge Agreement by refusing to accept the security interest.”).
. The Court may take judicial notice only of an adjudicative fact “that is not subject to reasonable dispute because it (1) is generally known within the trial court's territorial jurisdiction; or (2) can be accurately and readily determined from sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.” Fed. R.Evid. 201(b); Jackson v. Biedenharn, 429 Fed.Appx. 369, 373 (5th Cir. 2011) ("As for the motion to take judicial notice, the facts that Jackson does present are not susceptible of accurate and ready determination and thus are not amenable to judicial notice.”). The Court will not take judicial notice of the parties’ competing submissions on Vietnamese law, as each party's expert offers a description of the relevant law that is contested. See, e.g., Getty Petroleum Mktg., Inc. v. Capital Terminal Co., 391 F.3d 312, 333 (1st Cir. 2004) ("District courts need not go to Herculean lengths to discover the law when counsel do not adequately present it. Rather, the court should have the discretion to determine whether the proponent’s submission sufficiently enables the court to ascertain the law.... Under that standard, if the court cannot ascertain the law from counsel’s submission, then, virtually by definition, the submission is inadequate.”). Accordingly, the Court denies Inteplast’s Motion for Judicial Notice of Foreign Law [Doc. # 33] and Plaintiffs' Motion for Judicial Notice of Foreign Law [Doc. # 56].
.Gary Chen Decl., ¶ 4.
. Third Declaration of Le Thi Hoa [Exh. 8 to Doc. # 52], ¶ 4.
. Nguyen Anh Hao Decl., ¶ 6. Neither expert effectively discusses how Vietnamese law treats pledges of security interests in immovable property, which expressly is covered in the CPA.
. This ruling is without prejudice to the potential judgment as a matter of law, if warranted at trial, based on presentation of admissible evidence addressing the issues discussed above.
. In response to questioning from the Court at the January 15, 2014, hearing, counsel for Inteplast pointed the Court to certain documents which, he claims, "constitute the contracts and promises related to these claims.” See Inteplast’s Supplemental Brief [Doc. #91], at 4-5; Exhibits A-l to A-6 to Doc. #91. None of these documents actually constitute an agreement between Gary Chen and Inteplast, though — to some limited extent— they arguably restate agreements that allegedly were made orally. At the hearing, however, counsel for Inteplast stated that these agreements were both oral and written. Thus, without documentary proof of a written agreement, the Court assumes that any non-PGA agreement between Gary Chen and In-teplast was oral.
. See Inteplast’s Response [Doc. # 76], at 15-17.
. See Gary Chen’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 55], at 11.
. Inteplast's statutory fraud claim is brought pursuant to Section 27.01 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, see Answer to Gary Chen, ¶ 53, which pertains to "[f|raud in a transaction involving real estate or stock in a corporation or joint stock company,” Tex. Bus. Sl Com.Code § 27.01(a).
. See id., at 22-23. At the hearing held on January 15, 2014, Inteplast reaffirmed these contentions, and provided very general dates for each putative misrepresentation.
. See supra Part III.A. 1.
. Inteplast's counterclaim for breach of contract does not identify the contracts it alleges were breached. See Answer to Gary Chen, ¶¶ 46-49. In response to the Court’s questioning at the January 15, 2014, hearing, In-teplast, through its counsel, identified the following as the contracts it alleges were breached: (1) an agreement that if Inteplast invested funds with APV, Gary Chen would register Inteplast as a shareholder; (2) an agreement that if Inteplast contributed additional capital to APV, Gary Chen would contribute capital in a pro rata fashion; and (3) an agreement that if Inteplast loaned APV additional money, Gary Chen would cause APV to increase its production capacity. See Inteplast’s Supplemental Brief [Doc. # 91], at 3-4.
. Inteplast’s Submission of Jurisdictional Law [Doc. # 85], ¶ 32. Inteplast is a Texas limited partnership whose partners all reside in New Jersey and/or Delaware. See Complaint, ¶ 19; Inteplast’s Submission of Jurisdictional Law [Doc. # 85], at 2.
. See Gary Chen’s Memorandum on Choice of Law [Doc. # 84], at 6.
. In response to some of the Court’s questions at the January 15, 2014, hearing, Intep-last identified and supplied relevant documents which it claims purport to document the oral agreements between the parties. See generally Exhibits A-l to A-6 to Doc. #91. Assuming these documents do demonstrate contractual agreements between the parties, the Court notes that none of these documents provide information relevant to evaluate the Restatement factors, such as the place of contracting, the place of negotiation, or the place of performance.
. Inteplast contends the agreements “were entered into in either Texas or Vietnam,” In- ' teplast’s Submission of Jurisdictional Law [Doc. #85], at 15, while Gary Chen argues the parties "negotiated” in New Jersey, Gary Chen's Memorandum on Choice of Law [Doc. # 84], at 6. These contentions lack any citation to admissible evidence. They are insufficient to support a decision on which jurisdiction’s law is applicable.
. See supra nn. 95 & 96 and accompanying text.
.Inteplast’s Submission of Jurisdictional Law [Doc. # 85], ¶ 33. As noted, Inteplast is a Texas limited partnership whose partners all reside in New Jersey or Delaware. See supra n. 99.
. Gary Chen’s Memorandum on Choice of Law [Doc. # 84], at 8. Gary Chen also contends that he made the statements in either New Jersey or Texas. Id.
. See supra Part III.B.l.a.
. The Court takes judicial notice of the relevant limitations periods in New Jersey, which are six years for both breach of contract and fraud claims. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-1.
. The Court cites law from both jurisdictions without deciding which jurisdiction’s law applies to Inteplast's counterclaims.
. See Inteplast Recommendation/Report [Exh. 4 to Doc. # 62], at 3 (indicating investment occurred in November 2005); Alpha Investment & Loan Payment Summary [Exh. 14 to Doc. # 62] (stating investment occurred on December 12, 2005).
. See Ben Tseng Dep., at 293:8-25 (stating that he expected registration to be complete within three to six months of the promise); Joe Chen Dep., at 116:5-7 (stating that Gary Chen would register Inteplast as a shareholder from the first day of the investment).
. See Memo from Gary Chen, dated Feb. 6, 2007 [Exh. A-6 to Doc. #91],
. See Joe Chen Dep., at 114:22-115:13.
. See id., at 115:5-7.
. Inteplast argues that even if its breach of contract and fraud claims are untimely under the general limitations period, the claims became timely when brought as a counterclaim to Gary Chen’s declaratory judgment cause of action. Section 16.069 of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code states that "[i]f a counterclaim or cross claim arises out of the same transaction or occurrence that is the basis of an action, a party to the action may file the counterclaim or cross claim even though as a separate action it would be barred by limitation on the date the party’s answer is required.” Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.069(a). Section 16.069 is not applicable here because none of Inteplast’s claims, save its claim for breach of the PGA, arise out of "the same transaction or occurrence” as Gary Chen’s declaratory judgment claim. Inteplast’s claims derive from statements or promises allegedly made by Gary Chen between 2006 and 2007 that are distinct from his promise in 2008 to guarantee APV’s loans in exchange for another loan from In-teplast (i.e., the PGA). See, e.g., Rotella v. Pederson, 144 F.3d 892, 895-96 (5th Cir. 1998) (rejecting application of Section 16.069 to unrelated slander claim "made eight years later in a related but separate incident”).
. See Gary Chen's Reply [Doc. # 77], at 16-17.
. See Second Ben Tseng Dec!., ¶ 3; see also Letter from Joe Wang to Gary Chen, dated Sept. 15, 2006 [Exh. 9 to Doc. # 76], at ECF-numbered page 6.
. Ben Tseng Decl. ¶ 3.
. See Inteplast Group, Ltd. Recommendation/Report [Exh. 4 to Doc. # 55], at 4-6; Deposition of Joe Wang [Exh. 3 to Doc. # 55], at 122:1-17, 130:22-25.
. The Court also infers from this evidence that the parties understood at the time of the putative contract that any necessary capital contribution by Gary Chen was necessary in 2007 in order to properly complete the fund-raising for the plant expansion.
. See Gary Chen’s Reply [Doc. # 77], at 14-15. The Court does not hold here that either APV's or Inteplast's breach of contract claims relating to the May 22, 2006 Agreement are time-barred, as that issue has not yet been presented to the Court for decision.
. The Court recognizes that Gary Chen raises other, non-limitations issues as defens
. See supra Part III.B.2.b.i.
. Here too, because it is unclear which jurisdiction’s law applies to this claim, the Court does not address Gary Chen’s other arguments in support of his motion for summary judgment on this claim. See generally Gary Chen’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. # 55], at 14-18. Nevertheless, it is noted that the Court has concerns about the sufficiency of evidence in support of this fraud claim as well, in particular whether Gary Chen knew that his statement was false when made.
. Although Gary Chen does not indicate in his Answer which defenses are asserted against each claim, see generally Answer, ¶¶ 36-42, he has since clarified his positions, see Gary Chen’s Chart [Doc. # 84-1], at 1. Because the Court, as noted, has been presented with insufficient evidence to establish which jurisdiction’s law applies to Inteplast's breach of contract and fraud claims, the Court reserves judgment on Gary Chen’s affirmative defenses to those theories that are not time-barred and denies without prejudice In-teplast’s motion for summary judgment as it relates to those affirmative defenses.
. See supra Part III.A.l (concluding that New Jersey law applies to Inteplast’s breach of the PGA claim).
. See Gary Chen’s Response [Doc. # 62], at 15-16.
. Gary Chen's Response [Doc. # 62], at 16.
. Gary Chen does not identify any alternative promise he seeks to enforce through his promissory estoppel defense aside from the putative "promise” reflected in the Nullity Provision.
.Id., at 16-17.
. See id., at 18-19.
. Id., at 19.
. The parties have not sought a decision from the Court regarding Inteplast and APV’s cross-claims for breach of the May 22, 2006 Agreement. Even if those claims are time-barred, Texas courts have held that a party may seek offset based on the same set of circumstances. See Bolin Oil Co. v. Staples, 496 S.W.2d 167, 177 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 1973, writ ref'd n.r.e.) (addressing setoff defense and stating that "[t]he cases hold that the statute of limitations is not applicable where the subject matter of the defense is strictly by way of defense and operates merely as a negation of plaintiff’s right to recover”).
. Inteplast’s Reply [Doc. # 73], at 11-12.
. Gary Chen’s Sur-reply [Doc. # 78], at 8.
. See Translation of May 22, 2006 Agreement [Exh. 1 to Doc. # 19], ¶ C.
. See Translation of May 22, 2006 Agreement [Exh. 7-A to Doc. # 62], ¶ C ("For consideration, IBS agrees to order at least 600 to 650 tons per month ... ”).
. Ben Tseng Dep. [Exh. B to Doc. # 73], at 58:1-5.
. While the Court denies summary judgment on this defense, it notes that APV may never have reached the capacity to produce even 600 tons per month, raising serious questions as to whether Inteplast remained obligated to purchase that amount from APV (even assuming Inteplast’s obligation was independent from APV's production obligations). See, e.g., Ben Tseng Dep. [Exh. B to Doc. #73], at 62:18-63:25; Re-Registration of Enterprise and Investment Project [Exh. D to Doc. # 73], at 2 (indicating APV’s production would be 4800 tons per year).
. Gary Chen’s Response [Doc. # 62], at 20.
. The Court notes that many of the issues raised by these other pending claims have been addressed in this Memorandum and Order. The parties are advised to analyze those claims and defenses in light of this Memorandum and Order and be prepared to discuss with the Court how they wish to proceed as to those assertions. The Court also notes that the parties should be prepared to address whether Inteplast’s statutory fraud cause of action is moot in light of the Court’s rulings in this Memorandum and Order.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CHIH SHEN CHEN, and Counter-Defendants v. INTEPLAST GROUP, LTD., and Counter-Plaintiff
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published