Peaker Energy Group, Llc et al v. Cargill, Incorporated et al

MOTION for Partial Summary Judgment on Plaintiffs' LUTPA Claim

E.D. La.November 8, 2016

1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA PEAKER ENERGY GROUP, LLC & ENERGY COAST LOGISTICS TERMINAL, LLC, Plaintiffs, * * * * CIVIL ACTION CASE NO. 2:14-CV- 02106 v. * JUDGE KURT D. ENGELHARDT CARGILL, INCORPORATED & LOUISIANA SUGAR REFINING, LLC, Defendants. * * * MAGISTRATE JUDGE DANIEL E. KNOWLES, III ****************************************************************************** DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON LUTPA CLAIM Defendants Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC and Cargill, Incorporated (collectively, “defendants”) respectfully submit this Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (the “Motion”) seeking dismissal of the punitive (treble) damages claims asserted by plaintiffs, Peaker Energy Group, LLC (“Peaker”) and Energy Coast Logistics Terminal, LLC (“ECLT”) (collectively “plaintiffs”), under the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act (La. R.S. 51:1401 et seq., “LUTPA”). The claim for punitive (treble) damages fails as a matter of law. LUTPA provides for punitive (treble) damages only in the narrow circumstance where the Attorney General puts the defendant on “notice” that an “unfair or deceptive method, act or practice was used,” and the defendant then “knowingly” continues to use the unfair or deceptive method, act or practice. La. R.S. 51:1409(A). Neither defendant continued to commit an unfair trade practice after being put on notice by the Attorney General that it had violated LUTPA. In fact, the Attorney General never provided such notice to defendants at all. Plaintiffs cannot establish, under any set of facts, the essential requirement for an award of treble damages under LUTPA. Because there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact concerning whether plaintiffs are entitled to treble damages under LUTPA, this Court should grant the Motion and dismiss plaintiffs’ claim for punitive (treble) damages. Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268 Filed 11/08/16 Page 1 of 3 2 Respectfully submitted, /s/ Stephen H. Kupperman Stephen H. Kupperman, 7890 Michael A. Balascio, 33715 Kristin L. Beckman, 29758 BARRASSO USDIN KUPPERMAN FREEMAN & SARVER, L.L.C. 909 Poydras Street, Suite 2400 New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 Telephone: (504) 589-9700 Facsimile: (504) 589-9701 skupperman@barrassousdin.com mbalascio@barrassousdin.com kbeckman@barrassousdin.com Attorneys for Defendant Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC FAEGRE BAKER DANIELS LLP /s/ Jacob Bylund Jacob D. Bylund (admitted pro hac vice) Todd P. Langel (admitted pro hac vice) 801 Grand Avenue, 33rd Floor Des Moines, IA 50309-8011 Telephone: 515-248-9000 Facsimile: 515-248-9010 jacob.bylund@FaegreBD.com - AND - FLANAGAN PARTNERS LLP /s/ Thomas M. Flanagan Thomas M. Flanagan (#19569) Andy Dupre (#32437) Camille E. Gauthier (#34558) 201 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 2405 New Orleans, LA 70170 Telephone: 504-569-0064 Facsimile: 504-592-0251 tflanagan@flanaganpartners.com Attorneys for Cargill, Incorporated Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268 Filed 11/08/16 Page 2 of 3 3 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on November 8, 2016, I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of Court by using the CM/ECF system, which will send a notice of electronic filing to all CM/ECF participants. /s/ Stephen H. Kupperman 1262813_1 Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268 Filed 11/08/16 Page 3 of 3 1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA PEAKER ENERGY GROUP, LLC & ENERGY COAST LOGISTICS TERMINAL, LLC, Plaintiffs, * * * * CIVIL ACTION CASE NO. 2:14-CV- 02106 v. * JUDGE KURT D. ENGELHARDT CARGILL, INCORPORATED & LOUISIANA SUGAR REFINING, LLC, Defendants. * * * MAGISTRATE JUDGE DANIEL E. KNOWLES, III ****************************************************************************** DEFENDANTS’ MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON LUTPA CLAIM TO BE FILED UNDER SEAL Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268-1 Filed 11/08/16 Page 1 of 1 1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA PEAKER ENERGY GROUP, LLC & ENERGY COAST LOGISTICS TERMINAL, LLC, Plaintiffs, * * * * CIVIL ACTION CASE NO. 2:14-CV- 02106 v. * JUDGE KURT D. ENGELHARDT CARGILL, INCORPORATED & LOUISIANA SUGAR REFINING, LLC, Defendants. * * * MAGISTRATE JUDGE DANIEL E. KNOWLES, III ****************************************************************************** EXHIBITS TO DEFENDANTS’ MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON LUTPA CLAIM TO BE FILED UNDER SEAL EXHIBITS A-C Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268-2 Filed 11/08/16 Page 1 of 1 1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA PEAKER ENERGY GROUP, LLC & ENERGY COAST LOGISTICS TERMINAL, LLC, Plaintiffs, * * * * CIVIL ACTION CASE NO. 2:14-CV- 02106 v. * JUDGE KURT D. ENGELHARDT CARGILL, INCORPORATED & LOUISIANA SUGAR REFINING, LLC, Defendants. * * * MAGISTRATE JUDGE DANIEL E. KNOWLES, III ****************************************************************************** DEFENDANTS’ STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON LUTPA CLAIM TO BE FILED UNDER SEAL Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268-3 Filed 11/08/16 Page 1 of 1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA PEAKER ENERGY GROUP, LLC & ENERGY COAST LOGISTICS TERMINAL, LLC, Plaintiffs, * * * * CIVIL ACTION CASE NO. 2:14-CV- 02106 v. * JUDGE KURT D. ENGELHARDT CARGILL, INCORPORATED & LOUISIANA SUGAR REFINING, LLC, Defendants. * * * MAGISTRATE JUDGE DANIEL E. KNOWLES, III ****************************************************************************** NOTICE OF SUBMISSION Defendants Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC and Cargill, Incorporated hereby submit for consideration their Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Plaintiffs’ LUTPA Claim before the Honorable Kurt D. Engelhardt, United States District Court Judge, on Wednesday, November 23, at 9:30 a.m. Respectfully submitted, /s/ Stephen H. Kupperman Stephen H. Kupperman, 7890 Kristin L. Beckman, 29758 Michael A. Balascio, 33715 BARRASSO USDIN KUPPERMAN FREEMAN & SARVER, L.L.C. 909 Poydras Street, Suite 2400 New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 Telephone: (504) 589-9700 Facsimile: (504) 589-9701 skupperman@barrassousdin.com kbeckman@barrassousdin.com mbalascio@barrassousdin.com Attorneys for Defendant Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268-4 Filed 11/08/16 Page 1 of 2 2 1261248_1.docx FAEGRE BAKER DANIELS LLP /s/ Jacob Bylund Jacob D. Bylund (admitted pro hac vice) Todd P. Langel (admitted pro hac vice) 801 Grand Avenue, 33rd Floor Des Moines, IA 50309-8011 Telephone: 515-248-9000 Facsimile: 515-248-9010 jacob.bylund@FaegreBD.com - AND - FLANAGAN PARTNERS LLP /s/ Thomas M. Flanagan Thomas M. Flanagan (#19569) Andy Dupre (#32437) Camille E. Gauthier (#34558) 201 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 2405 New Orleans, LA 70170 Telephone: 504-569-0064 Facsimile: 504-592-0251 tflanagan@flanaganpartners.com Attorneys for Cargill, Incorporated CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on this 8th day of November, 2016, I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of Court by using the CM/ECF system, which will send a notice of electronic filing to all counsel registered for electronic service. /s/ Stephen H. Kupperman Case 2:14-cv-02106-KDE-DEK Document 268-4 Filed 11/08/16 Page 2 of 2