Filed: Jan. 04, 2007
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS January 4, 2007 FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Charles R. Fulbruge III )))))))))))))))))))))))))) Clerk No. 05-20465 )))))))))))))))))))))))))) MJCM, L.L.C. Plaintiff-Appellant, versus UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. successor in interest to First Georgia Bank, Defendant-Appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas No. H-04-1310 Before SMITH, BENAVIDES, and PRADO, Circuit
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS January 4, 2007 FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Charles R. Fulbruge III )))))))))))))))))))))))))) Clerk No. 05-20465 )))))))))))))))))))))))))) MJCM, L.L.C. Plaintiff-Appellant, versus UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. successor in interest to First Georgia Bank, Defendant-Appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas No. H-04-1310 Before SMITH, BENAVIDES, and PRADO, Circuit ..
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United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS January 4, 2007
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
Charles R. Fulbruge III
)))))))))))))))))))))))))) Clerk
No. 05-20465
))))))))))))))))))))))))))
MJCM, L.L.C.
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
successor in interest to First Georgia Bank,
Defendant-Appellee.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
No. H-04-1310
Before SMITH, BENAVIDES, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Plaintiff-Appellant MJCM, L.L.C. d/b/a Pinnacle Financial
Services (“Pinnacle”) appeals the district court’s order granting
the motion for summary judgment of Defendant-Appellee United
Community Banks, Inc., the successor-in-interest to First Georgia
Bank (“FGB”). Specifically, Pinnacle contends that the district
court erred in (1) finding that FGB experienced a change of control
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIRCUIT RULE 47.5, the court has determined
that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent
except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIRCUIT RULE
47.5.4.
in ownership that would trigger Section 11 of the contract between
Pinnacle and FGB; and (2) determining that the contractual phrase
“terminated for any reason” was ambiguous and did not apply to
terminations caused by a change of control in ownership.
This appeal arises from a dispute regarding a contract for
services between Pinnacle and FGB.1 On August 27, 2002, FGB and
Pinnacle entered into a thirty-month contract that allowed FGB to
use Pinnacle’s proprietary “Overdraft Privilege Program,” which
allows banks to permit depositors to overdraft their accounts
without having their checks returned in exchange for a fee paid by
the depositor.
Both sides performed under the contract until April 2003, when
FGB informed Pinnacle that FGB and its parent corporation were
undergoing mergers which constituted a “change in control” that
triggered termination of the agreement according to Section 11 of
the contract.2 FGB maintained that, under Section 11, it only owed
1
The parties do not dispute that Texas law governs the
contract.
2
Section 11 states:
11. Assignment.
This Assignment shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors, legal representatives, and assigns where
permitted by this Agreement; provided, however, that the
Client shall not be entitled to assign this Agreement, or
allow any person, entity or group, including its
affiliates, [sic] use or have the benefit of the Program,
the Services or the Software except for the entities
disclosed on Exhibit D and if a change of control in
ownership occurs, the Client will pay the fees described
2
Pinnacle the fees described in Exhibit C of the contract, which
amounted to about $40,000. Pinnacle countered that the catch-all
language “terminated for any reason” in Section 12 of the contract
included terminations due to a change of control and required
payment of additional amounts.3 Accordingly, Pinnacle argued that
FGB owed it $898,950, the total for payments due under Section 12.
Pinnacle sued FGB alleging breach of contract and the parties
filed cross-motions for summary judgment. Pinnacle appeals the
district court’s granting of a motion for summary judgment, so the
in Exhibit C and this Agreement and all rights of the
Client hereunder shall terminate. (Emphasis added in bold
typeface).
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Section 12 states:
12. Term; Termination.
The term of this Agreement shall be effective with
execution of the Agreement and shall expire on the last
day of the 30 month following the first full calendar
month of Program implementation. This agreement shall
also terminate as provided in Sections 1(a) or 3, upon
the termination of either of the Licenses, or if Client
breaches this Agreement and fails to cure such breach
within thirty (30) days after Pinnacle gives notice of
such breach.
If this Agreement is terminated for any reason, Pinnacle
shall be (a) entitled to retain a ten thousand dollar
($10,000) non-refundable retainer referenced on Exhibit
C, (b) reimbursed for any cost or expenses incurred by
Pinnacle through the date of termination, (c) if the
parties have agreed upon a Baseline prior to termination
hereof, paid by Client an amount equal to twenty-five
percent (25%) of such baseline for each month remaining
under this Agreement. Termination of this Agreement
shall not affect Section 12 or Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
14, 15 and 16. (Emphasis added).
3
familiar standards apply. This court reviews a summary judgment de
novo, using the same standards applied by the district court.
Dallas County Hosp. Dist. v. Assocs. Health & Welfare Plan,
293 F.3d
282, 285 (5th Cir. 2002).
After carefully reviewing all submissions by the parties and
the record in this case, we affirm for essentially the same reasons
stated by the district court. The mergers between the various
banking institutions and holding companies in this case occasioned
a “change of control in ownership” that triggered the operation of
Section 11. The phrase “terminated for any reason,” in the context
of Section 12, is ambiguous. “Terminated for any reason” could
refer to any reason whatsoever or to the termination events listed
in the preceding paragraph. Further, applying Section 12 to Section
11 would render Section 11’s reference to Exhibit C superfluous.
Reading the contract as a whole, and giving meaning to all of the
contract’s provisions, we hold that a termination under Section 11
does not bring Section 12 into play. See Coker v. Coker,
650 S.W.2d
391, 393 (Tex. 1983) (holding that contracts should be read as a
whole with an effort to give effect to all contractual provisions).
In other words, Section 11 contains its own remedy, namely, payment
of the fees described in Exhibit C.
For the reasons stated above, we AFFIRM the order of the
district court.
AFFIRMED.
4