Case Title: Fish Market Restaurants, Inc. v. Riverfront, LLC

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1111239

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2013-05-31T00:00:00Z

Document:
Rel: 05/31/2013 
Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s 
s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o 
n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l 
o r 
o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2012-2013 
1111239 
Ex parte Riverfront, LLC 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
(In re: Fish Market Restaurants, Inc., 
and 
George S a r r i s 
v. 
Riverfront, LLC) 
(Etowah C i r c u i t Court, CV-12-900098) 
PARKER, J u s t i c e . 
R i v e r f r o n t , LLC, p e t i t i o n s 
t h i s 
C o u r t f o r 
a w r i t o f 
mandamus d i r e c t i n g t h e 
Etowah C i r c u i t 
C o u r t ("the c i r c u i t 
c o u r t " ) t o v a c a t e i t s 
o r d e r d e n y i n g R i v e r f r o n t ' s m o t i o n t o 
1111239 
e n f o r c e a f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e i n 
a l e a s e agreement between 
i t 
and F i s h 
Market 
R e s t a u r a n t s , I n c . , 
and George 
S a r r i s 
( h e r e i n a f t e r c o l l e c t i v e l y r e f e r r e d t o 
as " F i s h M a r k e t " ) and t o 
d i r e c t t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t 
e i t h e r t o d i s m i s s t h e a c t i o n 
f i l e d 
a g a i n s t 
i t by F i s h Market o r t o t r a n s f e r t h e a c t i o n t o 
t h e 
T u s c a l o o s a C i r c u i t C o u r t . We g r a n t t h e 
p e t i t i o n and i s s u e t h e 
w r i t . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
R i v e r f r o n t owns r e a l p r o p e r t y l o c a t e d i n Gadsden ("the 
p r o p e r t y " ) . 
I n l a t e 2006, R i v e r f r o n t and F i s h Market e n t e r e d 
i n t o n e g o t i a t i o n s 
c o n c e r n i n g t h e p r o p e r t y , w h i c h F i s h Market 
sought t o l e a s e from R i v e r f r o n t . 
I n n e g o t i a t i n g t h e 
terms o f 
the l e a s e , F i s h Market made h a n d w r i t t e n changes t o a copy o f 
the l e a s e p r o v i d e d t o i t d a t e d J a n u a r y 8, 2007 ("the 
p r o p o s e d 
l e a s e " ) . 
S e c t i o n 
3.3.1 o f t h e p r o p o s e d 
l e a s e , 
e n t i t l e d 
" J u r i s d i c t i o n and Venue," 
s t a t e d : 
" R e g a r d l e s s o f 
any p l a c e t o 
which any 
o f 
t h e p a r t i e s 
may move and m a i n t a i n l e g a l d o m i c i l e o r s u i t s a t 
any 
t i m e , each a g r e e s , t o t h e f u l l e x t e n t p e r m i t t e d by 
law, 
t h a t any a c t i o n 
a g a i n s t 
them b a s e d on 
t h i s 
Lease o r any document o r i n s t r u m e n t 
d e l i v e r e d i n 
accordance 
h e r e w i t h 
s h a l l be 
i n s t i t u t e d 
i n t h e 
C i r c u i t C o u r t o f T u s c a l o o s a County, Alabama, and, t o 
the 
f u l l 
e x t e n t 
p e r m i t t e d 
by law, each 
p a r t y 
i r r e v o c a b l y 
c o n s e n t s t o t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f such 
c o u r t and 
waives any 
and a l l j u r i s d i c t i o n a l d e f e n s e s 
2 
1111239 
t h a t each may 
have t o the 
i n s t i t u t i o n of such 
an 
a c t i o n i n such 
c o u r t . " 
The p r o p o s e d l e a s e c o n t a i n s h a n d w r i t t e n a d d i t i o n s and 
s t r i k e -
t h r o u g h s t o t h i s s e c t i o n . 
The word " T u s c a l o o s a " of the above 
p r o v i s i o n was 
s t r u c k t h r o u g h , and the words "any p r o p e r " were 
h a n d w r i t t e n i n i t s p l a c e . 
A l s o , the word " i n " was 
i n s e r t e d 
i n t o the above p r o v i s i o n of the p r o p o s e d l e a s e f o l l o w i n g the 
word 
"County." 
W i t h 
the 
h a n d w r i t t e n 
changes, 
the 
above 
p r o v i s i o n of the p r o p o s e d l e a s e r e a d s , i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t , 
as 
f o l l o w s : "any 
a c t i o n ... 
s h a l l be 
i n s t i t u t e d i n the 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t of any p r o p e r County, i n Alabama." 
The p r o p o s e d 
l e a s e 
a l s o 
c o n t a i n e d 
h a n d w r i t t e n 
changes 
t o 
S e c t i o n s 
1.1, 
1.2, 
1.10.1, and 1.11. 
However, the p r o p o s e d l e a s e was 
not 
s i g n e d 
by any r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of R i v e r f r o n t . 
A l e a s e d a t e d J a n u a r y 18, 2007 
("the 
l e a s e " ) , was 
a l s o 
a d m i t t e d i n t o e v i d e n c e . 
The 
l e a s e i s s i g n e d by S a n j a y S i n g h , 
as p r e s i d e n t of R i v e r f r o n t ; by S a r r i s , b o t h i n d i v i d u a l l y 
and 
as p r e s i d e n t of F i s h M a r k e t ; and by R o b e r t J . Hayes, S a r r i s ' s 
a t t o r n e y . 
Each 
s i g n a t u r e 
i s 
n o t a r i z e d .
1 
The 
d e s i r e d 
1The 
n o t a r y 
c e r t i f i e d 
as 
f o l l o w s 
c o n c e r n i n g 
S a r r i s ' s 
s i g n a t u r e on the 
l e a s e : 
" I , 
the 
u n d e r s i g n e d , 
a N o t a r y 
P u b l i c 
of 
the 
S t a t e 
and 
County 
a f o r e s a i d , 
h e r e b y 
c e r t i f y 
t h a t 
3 
1111239 
h a n d w r i t t e n changes t o t h e p r o p o s e d l e a s e by F i s h Market were 
not 
i n c o r p o r a t e d 
i n t o S e c t i o n 3.3.1 o f t h e l e a s e , 
e n t i t l e d 
" J u r i s d i c t i o n and Venue." 
That s e c t i o n i n 
t h e l e a s e 
r e a d s : 
" R e g a r d l e s s o f any p l a c e t o w h i c h any o f t h e 
p a r t i e s 
may move and m a i n t a i n l e g a l d o m i c i l e o r s u i t s a t 
any 
t i m e , each agrees, t o t h e f u l l e x t e n t p e r m i t t e d by 
law, 
t h a t any a c t i o n a g a i n s t them b a s e d on 
t h i s 
Lease o r any document o r i n s t r u m e n t 
d e l i v e r e d i n 
accordance 
h e r e w i t h 
s h a l l be 
i n s t i t u t e d 
i n t h e 
C i r c u i t C o u r t o f T u s c a l o o s a County, Alabama, and, 
t o 
the 
f u l l 
e x t e n t 
p e r m i t t e d 
by law, each 
p a r t y 
i r r e v o c a b l y 
c o n s e n t s t o t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f such 
c o u r t and waives any and a l l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n a l d e f e n s e s 
t h a t each may have t o t h e i n s t i t u t i o n o f such an 
a c t i o n i n such c o u r t . " 
(We 
w i l l 
r e f e r t o S e c t i o n 3.3.1 as "the f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e . " ) 
The l e a s e d i d 
i n c o r p o r a t e t h e h a n d w r i t t e n 
changes 
made by F i s h Market t o S e c t i o n s 1.2 and 1.11 o f t h e p r o p o s e d 
l e a s e . 
The l e a s e a l s o c o n t a i n s t h e f o l l o w i n g c l a u s e : 
" S e c t i o n 
3.13 
E n t i r e Agreement. 
T h i s 
Lease 
c o n s t i t u t e s t h e e n t i r e u n d e r s t a n d i n g 
and agreement 
among t h e p a r t i e s c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e i n d e m n i f i c a t i o n 
George S a r r i s , 
i n d i v i d u a l l y and as P r e s i d e n t o f 
t h e 
F i s h Market R e s t [ a ] u r a n t s [ , ] I n c . , and R o b e r t J . 
Hayes, 
i n d i v i d u a l l y 
i s s i g n e d 
t o t h e 
f o r e g o i n g 
i n s t r u m e n t 
and who a r e known t o me, 
acknowledged 
b e f o r e me on t h i s day t h a t , b e i n g 
i n f o r m e d o f t h e 
 
c o n t e n t s o f t h e f o r e g o i n g 
i n s t r u m e n t , he, as such 
o f f i c e r and w i t h 
f u l l 
a u t h o r i t y , e x e c u t e d t h e same 
v o l u n t a r i l y on t h e day t h e same b e a r s date f o r 
and 
as an a c t 
o f s a i d c o r p o r a t i o n . " 
(Emphasis added; c a p i t a l i z a t i o n 
o m i t t e d . ) 
4 
1111239 
o b l i g a t i o n s 
of 
the 
p a r t i e s 
and 
r e l a t e d 
m a t t e r s 
d i s c u s s e d 
h e r e i n , 
and supersedes any 
and 
a l l p r i o r 
n e g o t i a t i o n s , u n d e r s t a n d i n g s or agreements i n r e g a r d 
t h e r e t o . " 
On 
F e b r u a r y 27, 
2012, 
F i s h Market 
f i l e d 
a 
d e c l a r a t o r y -
judgment a c t i o n a g a i n s t R i v e r f r o n t i n the 
c i r c u i t c o u r t . 
I n 
i t s 
i n i t i a l p l e a d i n g , F i s h Market i d e n t i f i e d the p r o p e r t y 
and 
n o t e d 
t h a t 
"the 
l a n d 
and 
p r e m i s e s 
and 
i t e m s 
of 
p r o p e r t y 
l o c a t e d t h e r e i n are the b a s i s of some of the i s s u e s i n v o l v e d . " 
F i s h Market a l s o r e q u e s t e d t h a t the 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
" e n t e r an [ o ] r d e r i d e n t i f y i n g the r i g h t s , d u t i e s 
and 
o b l i g a t i o n s of the p a r t i e s , under t h a t c e r t a i n l e a s e 
agreement e n t e r e d 
i n t o between the 
p a r t i e s on 
or 
about 
the 
8th 
of 
J a n u a r y 2007 w h i l e 
t a k i n g 
i n t o 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n a l l of the f a c t s and c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
met 
and f a c e d t h r o u g h o u t the terms of the l e a s e by [ F i s h 
M a r k e t ] . " 
In r e s p o n s e , on March 26, 2012, 
R i v e r f r o n t f i l e d a m o t i o n 
t o d i s m i s s 
the d e c l a r a t o r y - j u d g m e n t a c t i o n on 
the b a s i s 
of 
improper venue o r , i n the a l t e r n a t i v e , t o t r a n s f e r the case t o 
the T u s c a l o o s a C i r c u i t C o u r t , p u r s u a n t t o the 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e . 
In i t s m o t i o n , R i v e r f r o n t a l l e g e d t h a t the 
forum-
s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e r e q u i r e d t h a t any 
l a w s u i t a r i s i n g under the 
l e a s e be 
f i l e d i n the T u s c a l o o s a C i r c u i t C o u r t . 
F i s h Market 
d i d not 
f i l e a w r i t t e n r e s p o n s e . 
5 
1111239 
The c i r c u i t c o u r t h e l d a h e a r i n g on R i v e r f r o n t ' s motion 
on May 1, 2012. 
A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e l e a s e was a d m i t t e d 
i n t o 
e v i d e n c e , 
and S a r r i s c o n f i r m e d 
t h a t h i s s i g n a t u r e was on t h e 
l e a s e . 
Even though he c o n f i r m e d 
t h a t i t 
was h i s s i g n a t u r e on 
the l e a s e and t h a t h i s s i g n a t u r e had been n o t a r i z e d , S a r r i s 
t e s t i f i e d t h a t the l e a s e was not "the document [he] s i g n e d . " 
S a r r i s a l s o agreed w i t h h i s a t t o r n e y ' s s t a t e m e n t t h a t S a r r i s 
had 
never "had any o p p o r t u n i t y 
whatsoever t o l o o k a t [the 
l e a s e ] a t any t i m e . " 
The p r o p o s e d l e a s e was a l s o 
a d m i t t e d 
i n t o 
e v i d e n c e . 
F i s h 
Market 
p r e s e n t e d 
no 
o r a l 
argument 
o p p o s i n g R i v e r f r o n t ' s motion t o d i s m i s s or t o t r a n s f e r t h e 
a c t i o n on t h e b a s i s t h a t venue i n the Etowah C i r c u i t C o u r t was 
i m p r o p e r . 
On May 14, 2012, the c i r c u i t c o u r t d e n i e d 
R i v e r f r o n t ' s 
m o t i o n w i t h o u t s t a t i n g i t s r e a s o n i n g f o r d o i n g so. R i v e r f r o n t 
then f i l e d t h i s p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t of mandamus. 
S t a n d a r d o f Review 
In Ex p a r t e CTB, I n c . , 782 So. 2d 188, 190 ( A l a . 2000), 
we n o t e d t h a t f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e s i m p l i c a t e venue and t h a t 
the 
" ' p r o p e r method f o r o b t a i n i n g 
r e v i e w 
o f a d e n i a l o f a 
m o t i o n f o r a change of venue i n a c i v i l a c t i o n i s t o p e t i t i o n 
6 
1111239 
f o r t h e w r i t o f mandamus.'" (Quoting 
Ex p a r t e N a t i o n a l Sec. 
 
Ins. 
Co., 727 So. 2d 788, 789 ( A l a . 1998) .) See a l s o Ex p a r t e  
Bad Toys H o l d i n g s , I n c . , 958 So. 2d 852, 857 n.3 ( A l a . 2006) 
( " [ A ] l t h o u g h venue may sometimes be a p p r o p r i a t e i n m u l t i p l e 
forums, p a r t i e s may, v i a a f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e , c o n t r a c t 
i n 
advance t o r e s t r i c t venue t o a s i n g l e 
f o r u m . " ) . 
Thus, i n 
r e v i e w i n g t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s d e n i a l o f a p a r t y ' s attempt t o 
e n f o r c e an "outbound" f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e i n 
Ex p a r t e CTB,
2 
t h i s C o u r t a p p l i e d our 
w e l l s e t t l e d p r i n c i p l e s f o r c o n s i d e r i n g 
a p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus: 
"Mandamus i s 
a d r a s t i c and e x t r a o r d i n a r y w r i t , t o 
be 
i s s u e d o n l y where t h e r e i s (1) a c l e a r l e g a l 
r i g h t 
i n 
t h e p e t i t i o n e r 
t o t h e o r d e r 
sought; 
(2) an 
i m p e r a t i v e 
d u t y 
upon t h e respondent t o 
p e r f o r m , 
accompanied by a r e f u s a l t o do so; (3) t h e l a c k o f 
a n o t h e r 
adequate remedy; and (4) p r o p e r l y 
i n v o k e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e c o u r t . " 
782 So. 2d a t 190 ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e Integon Corp., 672 So. 2d 
497, 499 ( A l a . 1995)). 
F u r t h e r , a t r i a l c o u r t ' s r u l i n g on 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n o f e n f o r c i n g a f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e i s 
r e v i e w e d t o 
2"An 
'outbound' forum s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e i s 
one p r o v i d i n g 
f o r 
t r i a l 
o u t s i d e o f Alabama, 
w h i l e an 
'inbound' 
c l a u s e 
p r o v i d e s f o r t r i a l i n s i d e Alabama." 
P r o f e s s i o n a l I n s . Corp.  
v. S u t h e r l a n d , 700 So. 2d 347, 348 n.1 ( A l a . 1997). I n 
t h e 
i n s t a n t 
case, 
R i v e r f r o n t seeks t o d i s m i s s o r t r a n s f e r t h e 
a c t i o n on t h e b a s i s o f an inbound f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e , 
w h i c h 
d e s i g n a t e s 
t h e p a r t i e s ' 
chosen venue as 
T u s c a l o o s a 
County. 
7 
1111239 
d e t e r m i n e whether i n e n f o r c i n g or r e f u s i n g t o e n f o r c e the 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
exceeded 
i t s 
d i s c r e t i o n . 
Ex p a r t e D.M. White C o n s t r . Co., 806 So. 2d 370, 
372 ( A l a . 
2001). 
D i s c u s s i o n 
In i t s p e t i t i o n , R i v e r f r o n t argues t h a t t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t 
exceeded 
i t s d i s c r e t i o n 
by 
r e f u s i n g 
t o 
e n f o r c e 
t h e 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e and by d e n y i n g R i v e r f r o n t ' s m o t i o n t o 
d i s m i s s o r , i n t h e a l t e r n a t i v e , t o t r a n s f e r t h i s a c t i o n on t h e 
b a s i s t h a t venue i n t h e Etowah C i r c u i t C o u r t was i m p r o p e r . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
R i v e r f r o n t 
argues 
t h a t 
t h e 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e s h o u l d be e n f o r c e d because, i t 
a r g u e s , enforcement of 
the c l a u s e i s not u n f a i r i n t h a t t h e l e a s e was not " a f f e c t e d 
by f r a u d , undue i n f l u e n c e , o r overweening b a r g a i n i n g power," 
and i t i s not u n r e a s o n a b l e because, R i v e r f r o n t a r g u e s , the 
s e l e c t e d forum would not be " s e r i o u s l y i n c o n v e n i e n t " f o r 
t h e 
p a r t i e s . 
See P r o f e s s i o n a l I n s . Corp. v. S u t h e r l a n d , 700 So. 
2d 347, 352 ( A l a . 
1997). 
"[A] ... f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e i s e n f o r c e a b l e 
u n l e s s 
t h e c h a l l e n g i n g 
p a r t y 
can e s t a b l i s h t h a t 
enforcement of t h e c l a u s e would be u n f a i r on t h e 
b a s i s t h a t t h e c o n t r a c t '"[w]as a f f e c t e d by f r a u d , 
undue i n f l u e n c e , or overweening b a r g a i n i n g power or 
... enforcement would be u n r e a s o n a b l e on t h e b a s i s 
8 
1111239 
t h a t 
the 
[ s e l e c t e d ] 
forum 
would 
be 
s e r i o u s l y 
i n c o n v e n i e n t . " ' 
The burden on the c h a l l e n g i n g 
p a r t y 
i s 
d i f f i c u l t t o meet. Ex p a r t e CTB,[ 
I n c . , 782 So. 
2d 
188 
( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) ] . See 
a l s o 
P r o f e s s i o n a l I n s .  
Corp. 
v. 
S u t h e r l a n d , 
700 
So. 
2d 
347, 
351 ( A l a . 
1997)." 
D.M. 
White, 806 So. 2d a t 372. 
R i v e r f r o n t s t a t e s t h a t F i s h Market "do[es] not appear t o 
a l l e g e t h a t enforcement of the f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e would be 
u n f a i r 
due 
t o 
f r a u d , 
undue 
i n f l u e n c e , 
or 
overweening 
b a r g a i n i n g 
power." 
I n i t s r e s p o n s e , F i s h Market does 
not 
d i s a g r e e 
w i t h R i v e r f r o n t ' s c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n of i t s argument 
t h a t 
F i s h M a r k e t 
i s not 
a l l e g i n g t h a t enforcement 
of the 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e would be u n f a i r on the b a s i s o f f r a u d , 
undue i n f l u e n c e , o r overweening b a r g a i n i n g power. 
I n s t e a d , 
F i s h Market appears t o be a t t a c k i n g the f o r m a t i o n of the l e a s e 
i t s e l f . 
F i s h Market argues t h a t 
" [ t ] h e r e was 
not a c l e a r 
m e e t i n g of the minds between 
the p a r t i e s t o the l e a s e i n 
q u e s t i o n . " 
In s u p p o r t o f i t s argument, 
F i s h Market 
r e l i e s 
upon Ray v. Alabama C e n t r a l C r e d i t U n i o n , 472 So. 2d 
1012, 
1014 
( A l a . 1985), i n w h i c h t h i s C o u r t s t a t e d : 
"The C o u r t a d d r e s s e d the i s s u e of what c o n s t i t u t e s 
an a c c o r d and s a t i s f a c t i o n i n the case o f C r a f t v.  
S t a n d a r d Acc. I n s . Co., 
220 A l a . 6, 
123 
So. 
271 
(1929), 
s t a t i n g : 
9 
1111239 
"'The 
d i s c h a r g e 
of 
c l a i m s 
by 
way 
of 
a c c o r d 
and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n i s dependent upon 
c o n t r a c t e x p r e s s or i m p l i e d ; and i t f o l l o w s 
t h a t 
the 
e s s e n t i a l s n e c e s s a r y 
t o 
v a l i d 
c o n t r a c t s 
g e n e r a l l y must be 
p r e s e n t 
i n a 
c o n t r a c t 
of 
a c c o r d 
and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n . 
T h e r e f o r e 
t h e r e 
must 
be 
(1) 
a 
p r o p e r 
s u b j e c t - m a t t e r , 
(2) competent p a r t i e s , (3) 
an a s s e n t 
or m e e t i n g of the minds of 
the 
 
p a r t i e s , and 
(4) a c o n s i d e r a t i o n . 1 R.C.L. 
17 8, § 3; R e l i a n c e L i f e I n s . Co. v. 
G a r t h , 
192 A l a . 91, 
68 So. 
871 
[ ( 1 9 1 5 ) ] ; D r e y f u s  
B r o s . 
v. Corn P r o d u c t s Co., 
204 
A l a . 
593, 
86 So. 386 
[ ( 1 9 2 0 ) ] . [Emphasis added.]' 
"220 
A l a . at 9, 123 
So. a t 
273." 
( I n i t i a l 
emphasis added.) 
T h i s 
case, 
however, does 
not 
i n v o l v e 
an 
a c c o r d 
and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n , 
but 
a l e a s e , w h i c h i s 
t r e a t e d 
as 
a 
c o n t r a c t 
under 
our 
p r e c e d e n t . 
See 
Bowdoin 
 
Square, L.L.C. v. W i n n - D i x i e Montgomery, I n c . , 
873 
So. 
2d 
1091, 
1098 
( A l a . 2003) 
("It 
i s w e l l 
s e t t l e d 
t h a t 
l e a s e 
agreements are c o n t r a c t s and 
t h a t the g e n e r a l p r i n c i p l e s of 
c o n t r a c t 
c o n s t r u c t i o n 
a p p l y 
i n a s c e r t a i n i n g the 
scope 
and 
meaning of a l e a s e agreement."). 
The 
o n l y a u t h o r i t y 
r e l i e d 
upon by F i s h Market f o r i t s argument t h a t t h e r e was 
no c l e a r 
m e e t i n g 
of 
the minds between the 
p a r t i e s t o 
the 
l e a s e 
i s 
a u t h o r i t y c o n c e r n i n g 
an a c c o r d and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n . 
In Ex p a r t e G r a n t , 711 So. 2d 464, 
465 
( A l a . 1997), 
t h i s 
C o u r t h e l d t h a t 
" ' [ t ] h e r e q u i s i t e elements of 
[a 
c o n t r a c t ] 
10 
1111239 
i n c l u d e : an o f f e r and an a c c e p t a n c e , c o n s i d e r a t i o n , and mutual 
a s s e n t t o terms e s s e n t i a l t o t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a c o n t r a c t . ' 
S t r e n g t h v. Alabama Dep't o f F i n a n c e , D i v . o f R i s k Mgmt., 62 
2 
So. 2d 1283, 1289 ( A l a . 1993); S t e i g e r v. H u n t s v i l l e C i t y Bd.  
of Ed., 653 So. 2d 975, 978 ( A l a . 1995)." 
F u r t h e r , " [ a ] s s e n t 
must be m a n i f e s t e d by something. 
O r d i n a r i l y , i t i s m a n i f e s t e d 
by a s i g n a t u r e . " Southern Energy Homes, I n c . v. H e n n i s , 776 
So. 2d 105, 108 ( A l a . 2000) ( c i t i n g Commercial C r e d i t Corp. v.  
L e g g e t t , 
744 
So. 
2d 
890, 
895-96 
( A l a . 1999); 
P r e m i e r e 
 
C h e v r o l e t , I n c . 
v. H e a d r i c k , 748 So. 2d 891, 893 ( A l a . 1999); 
and Crown P o n t i a c , I n c . v. M c C a r r e l l , 695 So. 2d 615, 618 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 7 ) ) . 
The elements germane t o t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a 
c o n t r a c t , 
a t i s s u e h e r e , 
are d i f f e r e n t 
than t h e 
elements 
germane t o an a c c o r d and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
F i s h 
Market's argument under a c c o r d - a n d - s a t i s f a c t i o n p r e c e d e n t i s 
not p e r s u a s i v e . 
Moreover, t h e l e a s e , which i s s i g n e d by a l l 
p a r t i e s , was 
p l a c e d 
i n t o 
e v i d e n c e ; 
R i v e r f r o n t 
t h e r e b y 
s a t i s f i e d 
t h e 
elements s e t f o r t h i n G r a n t , s u p r a . 
The o n l y e v i d e n c e 
F i s h 
Market 
d i r e c t s 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
a t t e n t i o n 
t o i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
R i v e r f r o n t and F i s h Market d i d not m u t u a l l y a s s e n t t o t h e 
11 
1111239 
terms e s s e n t i a l t o the f o r m a t i o n o f the l e a s e i s the f o l l o w i n g 
s e l f - s e r v i n g t e s t i m o n y o f 
S a r r i s : 
" [ F i s h Market's 
c o u n s e l : ] Okay. D i d you 
e v e r 
r e c e i v e any s i g n e d copy from ... S i n g h --
" [ S a r r i s : ] 
No. 
" [ F i s h M a r k e t ' s c o u n s e l : ] of t h i s l e a s e ? 
" [ S a r r i s : ] 
No. 
" [ F i s h Market's c o u n s e l : ] D i d you e v e r r e c e i v e 
an o r i g i n a l copy o f a l e a s e --
" [ S a r r i s : ] Never. 
" [ F i s h M a r k e t ' s c o u n s e l : ] -- from ... 
Singh? 
" [ S a r r i s : ] Never. 
" [ F i s h M a r k e t ' s c o u n s e l : ] D i d he e v e r 
t e l l 
you 
a n y t h i n g about g i v i n g you an o r i g i n a l copy? 
" [ S a r r i s : ] Yeah. He say, you know, i t 
was -- you 
know we have t o s t a r t a l l 
our t h i n g s and 
a r c h i t e c t s 
and a l l t h a t . He s a i d j u s t t a k e my word, you know, 
j u s t t r u s t me, 
I ' l l send i t t o you." 
On c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i o n , S a r r i s a d m i t t e d t h a t h i s s i g n a t u r e was 
on the l e a s e and t h a t h i s s i g n a t u r e on the l e a s e had been 
n o t a r i z e d , but he p e r s i s t e d t h a t " t h a t ' s not a -- the document 
[he] s i g n e d . " F u r t h e r , the n o t a r y ' s c e r t i f i c a t i o n of S a r r i s ' s 
s i g n a t u r e on t h e l e a s e s t a t e s : 
" I , 
the u n d e r s i g n e d , 
a N o t a r y 
P u b l i c 
of 
the 
S t a t e 
and 
County 
a f o r e s a i d , 
hereby 
c e r t i f y 
t h a t 
12 
1111239 
George S a r r i s , i n d i v i d u a l l y and as P r e s i d e n t o f t h e 
F i s h Market R e s t [ a ] u r a n t s [ , ] 
I n c . , and R o b e r t J . 
Hayes, 
i n d i v i d u a l l y 
i s s i g n e d 
t o the 
f o r e g o i n g 
i n s t r u m e n t and who a r e known t o me, 
acknowledged 
b e f o r e me on t h i s day t h a t , b e i n g 
i n f o r m e d o f t h e 
 
c o n t e n t s o f t h e f o r e g o i n g 
i n s t r u m e n t , 
he, as such 
o f f i c e r and w i t h 
f u l l a u t h o r i t y , e x e c u t e d t h e same 
v o l u n t a r i l y on t h e day t h e same b e a r s date f o r 
and 
as an a c t o f s a i d 
c o r p o r a t i o n . " 
(Emphasis added; c a p i t a l i z a t i o n o m i t t e d . ) 
F i s h Market has 
n o t 
d i r e c t e d t h i s C o u r t ' s a t t e n t i o n t o any a u t h o r i t y i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t t h e s e l f - s e r v i n g t e s t i m o n y o f an u n d i s p u t e d s i g n a t o r y t o 
a c o n t r a c t s t a t i n g s i m p l y t h a t he never r e c e i v e d an o r i g i n a l 
copy o f t h e c o n t r a c t demonstrates t h a t t h e p a r t i e s had n o t 
m u t u a l l y 
a s s e n t e d t o t h e terms o f t h e c o n t r a c t . 
R i v e r f r o n t then argues t h a t 
F i s h Market has f a i l e d t o 
demonstrate t h a t t h e f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e i s u n r e a s o n a b l e 
because F i s h Market d i d 
n o t p r e s e n t any e v i d e n c e o r argument 
i n t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t c o n c e r n i n g whether t h e T u s c a l o o s a C i r c u i t 
C o u r t would be a " s e r i o u s l y i n c o n v e n i e n t " 
forum. 
" ' I n o r d e r t o demonstrate t h a t t h e chosen 
forum i s s e r i o u s l y i n c o n v e n i e n t , t h e p a r t y 
c h a l l e n g i n g t h e c l a u s e must show t h a t a 
t r i a l i n t h a t forum would be so 
g r a v e l y 
d i f f i c u l t 
and 
i n c o n v e n i e n t 
t h a t 
the 
c h a l l e n g i n g 
p a r t y 
would 
e f f e c t i v e l y 
be 
d e p r i v e d 
o f h i s day i n c o u r t . Ex 
p a r t e 
 
N o r t h e r n 
C a p i t a l Res. Corp., 751 So. 2d 
[12] a t 15 [ ( A l a . 1 9 9 9 ) ] . 
13 
1111239 
"'"When 
an 
agreement 
i n c l u d e s 
a 
c l e a r l y 
s t a t e d 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e , a p a r t y 
c l a i m i n g 
t h a t 
c l a u s e 
i s 
u n r e a s o n a b l e 
and 
t h e r e f o r e 
i n v a l i d w i l l be r e q u i r e d t o make 
a 
c l e a r 
s h o w i n g 
o f 
u n r e a s o n a b l e n e s s . 
I n d e t e r m i n i n g 
whether 
such 
a 
c l a u s e 
i s 
u n r e a s o n a b l e , 
a 
c o u r t 
s h o u l d 
c o n s i d e r t h e s e 
f i v e f a c t o r s : (1) 
Are t h e 
p a r t i e s b u s i n e s s 
e n t i t i e s 
or b u s i n e s s p e r s o n s ? 
(2) What i s 
the 
s u b j e c t 
m a t t e r 
o f 
t h e 
c o n t r a c t ? 
(3) Does t h e chosen 
forum 
have 
any 
i n h e r e n t 
advantages? 
(4) 
S h o u l d 
t h e 
p a r t i e s 
have 
been 
a b l e 
t o 
u n d e r s t a n d 
t h e agreement as 
i t 
was 
w r i t t e n ? 
( 
5 
) 
Have 
e x t r a o r d i n a r y f a c t s a r i s e n s i n c e 
the 
agreement was e n t e r e d 
t h a t 
would 
make 
t h e 
chosen 
forum 
s e r i o u s l y i n c o n v e n i e n t ? We s t a t e 
t h e s e items n o t as r e q u i r e m e n t s , 
but 
m e r e l y 
as 
f a c t o r s 
t h a t , 
c o n s i d e r e d t o g e t h e r , s h o u l d i n 
a 
p a r t i c u l a r 
case 
g i v e 
a 
c l e a r 
i n d i c a t i o n 
whether 
t h e 
chosen 
forum i s r e a s o n a b l e . " 
"'Ex p a r t e N o r t h e r n C a p i t a l Res. Corp., 751 
So. 2d a t 
14.' 
"Ex 
p a r t e 
Rymer, 860 So. 2d 339, 342-43 ( A l a . 
2003) 
." 
Ex 
p a r t e Soprema, I n c . , 
949 So. 2d 907, 913 ( A l a . 2006) . 
R i v e r f r o n t argues t h a t each o f t h e f i v e f a c t o r s s e t f o r t h 
i n Ex p a r t e N o r t h e r n C a p i t a l Resource Corp., 751 So. 2d 12, 14 
14 
1111239 
( A l a . 1999), are met 
i n t h i s case. 
I t argues i n i t s p e t i t i o n 
t h a t 
"(1) the p a r t i e s are s o p h i s t i c a t e d b u s i n e s s 
e n t i t i e s 
and 
F i s h 
Market 
was 
r e p r e s e n t e d 
t h r o u g h o u t 
by 
A t t o r n e y Hayes, a l i c e n s e d Alabama a t t o r n e y who 
i s 
a l s o 
a 
s i g n a t o r y 
on 
the 
Lease; 
(2) 
the 
s u b j e c t 
m a t t e r of the c o n t r a c t i s a commercial l e a s e between 
s o p h i s t i c a t e d , e x p e r i e n c e d 
p a r t i e s ; (3) 
T u s c a l o o s a 
County, the chosen forum, i s advantageous i n t h a t 
R i v e r f r o n t ' s p r i n c i p l e 
[ s i c ] b u s i n e s s 
o f f i c e i s i n 
T u s c a l o o s a County, i t i s a p r o p e r venue under 
the 
Alabama 
venue 
s t a t u t e s 
( A l a . 
Code 
[1975,] 
§ 
6 - 3 - 7 ( a ) ( 2 ) ) 
and 
i t i s c o n v e n i e n t 
t o 
a l l of 
the 
p a r t i e s ; 
(4) 
the 
p a r t i e s , 
p a r t i c u l a r l y 
g i v e n 
A t t o r n e y 
Hayes's 
p a r t i c i p a t i o n , 
were 
c a p a b l e 
of 
u n d e r s t a n d i n g 
the 
terms 
of 
the 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e t o the p o i n t of s u g g e s t i n g 
r e v i s i o n s t o 
the 
c l a u s e 
t h a t were u l t i m a t e l y r e j e c t e d ; and 
(5) 
no 
f a c t s 
have 
a r i s e n 
t h a t 
would 
r e n d e r 
T u s c a l o o s a 
County a s e r i o u s l y i n c o n v e n i e n t 
venue." 
F i s h Market has 
not p r e s e n t e d 
any argument i n o p p o s i t i o n 
t o 
R i v e r f r o n t ' s argument. 
We agree w i t h R i v e r f r o n t . 
We 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
F i s h 
M a r k e t , 
the 
p a r t y 
o p p o s i n g 
enforcement of the f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e , 
f a i l e d t o 
p r e s e n t 
any e v i d e n c e below or any argument b e f o r e 
t h i s C o u r t 
" ' t h a t 
enforcement of the [ f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n ] c l a u s e would be u n f a i r on 
the b a s i s t h a t the 
[ l e a s e ] "'[w]as a f f e c t e d by f r a u d , undue 
i n f l u e n c e , 
or 
overweening 
b a r g a i n i n g 
power 
or 
... 
[ t h a t ] 
enforcement would 
be 
u n r e a s o n a b l e 
on 
the 
b a s i s 
t h a t 
the 
s e l e c t e d 
forum 
[the 
T u s c a l o o s a 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t ] 
would 
be 
15 
1111239 
s e r i o u s l y i n c o n v e n i e n t . ' " ' " 
D.M. 
White, 806 
So. 
2d a t 
372 
( q u o t i n g o t h e r 
c a s e s ) . 
F i s h Market n e x t argues t h a t because, i t s a y s , the forum-
s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e 
a t t e m p t s 
t o 
o u s t 
" a l l c o u r t s , 
wherever 
s i t u a t e d , from h a v i n g 
the power t o hear and 
d i s p o s e 
of 
any 
case i n v o l v i n g a d i s p u t e between R i v e r f r o n t and F i s h Market 
e x c e p t 
f o r one 
... 
c o u r t , " 
the 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e 
i s 
a g a i n s t p u b l i c p o l i c y . 
I t has 
l o n g been e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e s are not a g a i n s t Alabama p u b l i c p o l i c y , 
and 
the 
s p e c i f i c 
r e a s o n i n g 
a s s e r t e d by 
F i s h Market i n i t s 
p u b l i c - p o l i c y 
argument 
has 
a l s o 
been 
r e j e c t e d . 
See 
S u t h e r l a n d , 
s u p r a ; 
see a l s o Ex p a r t e Rymer, 860 
So. 
2d 
339, 
341 
( A l a . 2003) 
( r e l y i n g upon S u t h e r l a n d ) ; and O ' B r i e n Eng'g 
Co. v. C o n t i n e n t a l Machs., I n c . , 738 So. 2d 844, 846-47 ( A l a . 
1999) 
(same). 
F u r t h e r , 
i n Ex p a r t e Spencer, 
[Ms. 
1110319, 
September 28, 
2012] 
So. 
3d 
, 
( A l a . 2012), 
t h i s 
C o u r t n o t e d : 
" I t i s a w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d p r i n c i p l e of Alabama 
law 
t h a t 
' [ p ] a r t i e s 
are 
f r e e t o c o n t r a c t as 
t h e y 
w i l l , 
p r o v i d e d 
t h e y 
c o n t r a c t 
w i t h i n 
the 
law.' 
P e r k i n s v. S k a t e s , 
220 A l a . 216, 
218, 
124 
So. 
514, 
515 
(1929). 
F o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e s are not a g a i n s t 
p u b l i c p o l i c y i n Alabama, and p a r t i e s are 
f r e e t o 
c o n t r a c t u a l l y agree t o a s p e c i f i e d forum i n w h i c h 
a l l 
l i t i g a t i o n 
i s t o be 
l i t i g a t e d . 
See Brown 
v. 
16 
1111239 
Alabama Chem. Co., 207 A l a . 215, 216, 92 So. 260, 
260-61 
( 1 9 2 2 ) ( r e c o g n i z i n g 
t h e v a l i d i t y o f forum-
s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e s ) . " 
L a s t l y , 
F i s h 
Market 
argues 
t h a t 
" R i v e r f r o n t 
i s n o t 
e n t i t l e d t o r e l i e f as t h e p e t i t i o n e r has f a i l e d t o f i l e an 
answer t o F i s h M a r k e t ' s 
[ b ] i l l f o r [ d ] e c l a r a t o r y [j]udgment." 
F i s h Market argues t h a t , under R u l e 1 2 ( a ) , A l a . R. C i v . P., 
R i v e r f r o n t was r e q u i r e d t o f i l e an answer t o F i s h M a r k e t ' s 
c o m p l a i n t w i t h i n 10 days o f t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l o f 
R i v e r f r o n t ' s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s o r , i n t h e a l t e r n a t i v e , t o 
t r a n s f e r 
t h i s 
a c t i o n on t h e b a s i s 
t h a t venue i n t h e Etowah 
C i r c u i t C o u r t was i m p r o p e r . 
F i s h Market f i l e d i n 
t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t a motion f o r 
a d e f a u l t judgment on J u l y 2, 2012, based 
on R i v e r f r o n t ' s 
f a i l u r e t o f i l e an answer t o F i s h M a r k e t ' s 
c o m p l a i n t . 
R i v e r f r o n t f i l e d a motion t o s t a y t h e 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
i n t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t on J u l y 3, 2012, p e n d i n g t h i s C o u r t ' s 
d i s p o s i t i o n o f R i v e r f r o n t ' s mandamus p e t i t i o n . 
R i v e r f r o n t 
s t a t e s i n i t s r e p l y 
b r i e f t h a t t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
R i v e r f r o n t ' s 
m o t i o n 
t o s t a y ; 
however, 
t h e p a r t i e s 
have 
p r e s e n t e d no a t t a c h m e n t s i n d i c a t i n g whether t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
g r a n t e d e i t h e r F i s h M a r k e t ' s m o t i o n f o r a d e f a u l t judgment o r 
R i v e r f r o n t ' s 
motion 
f o r a 
s t a y 
o f 
t h e p r o c e e d i n g s . 
17 
1111239 
R e g a r d l e s s , F i s h Market has n o t argued t h a t t h e case has been 
a d j u d i c a t e d below and 
has d i r e c t e d t h i s C o u r t t o 
no a u t h o r i t y , 
o t h e r then g e n e r a l c i t a t i o n s t o t h e Alabama R u l e s o f 
C i v i l 
P r o c e d u r e , s u p p o r t i n g i t s argument. 
T h e r e f o r e , we w i l l not 
c o n s i d e r t h e argument. 
See R u l e 2 8 ( a ) ( 1 0 ) , A l a . R. C i v . P.; 
see a l s o U n i v e r s i t y o f South Alabama v. P r o g r e s s i v e I n s . Co., 
904 So. 2d 1242, 1247-48 ( A l a . 2004). 
C o n c l u s i o n 
R i v e r f r o n t has e s t a b l i s h e d 
t h a t i t 
has a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t t o 
t h e 
enforcement o f t h e f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e i n t h e 
l e a s e 
because 
F i s h 
Market 
has 
f a i l e d 
t o e s t a b l i s h 
t h a t 
enforcement o f t h e c l a u s e would be u n f a i r o r u n r e a s o n a b l e . 
The 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t exceeded t h e scope o f i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n 
d e n y i n g R i v e r f r o n t ' s motion t o 
d i s m i s s o r , i n 
t h e a l t e r n a t i v e , 
to 
t r a n s f e r t h e case t o t h e T u s c a l o o s a C i r c u i t C o u r t . 
We 
d i r e c t t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t e i t h e r t o 
d i s m i s s t h i s cause, w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e , p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 1 2 ( b ) ( 3 ) , A l a . R. C i v . P., o r 
t o 
t r a n s f e r t h e cause t o 
t h e 
T u s c a l o o s a C i r c u i t C o u r t , t h e forum 
agreed t o i n 
t h e l e a s e . 
PETITION GRANTED; WRIT ISSUED. 
S t u a r t , Shaw, and B r y a n , J J . , c o n c u r . 
Murdock, J . , 
c o n c u r s i n 
t h e r e s u l t . 
18 
1111239 
MURDOCK, J u s t i c e 
( c o n c u r r i n g i n 
t h e r e s u l t ) . 
I concur i n i s s u i n g t h e w r i t o f mandamus i n t h i s c a s e . 
I r e s p e c t f u l l y d e c l i n e , however, t o j o i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n 
i n 
note 2 and 
t h e accompanying 
t e x t o f t h e 
main o p i n i o n as 
t o 
whether t h e c l a u s e i n t h i s 
case i s an "'"outbound" 
forum 
s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e ' " 
o r an 
" ' " i n b o u n d " 
[forum 
s e l e c t i o n ] 
c l a u s e . ' " 
So. 
3d a t 
. These appear t o 
be terms t h a t 
have a p p l i c a t i o n t o c l a u s e s g o v e r n i n g t h e 
c h o i c e o f venue i n 
cases where a c h o i c e must be made between 
d i f f e r e n t s t a t e s , 
not between f o r a w i t h i n a s i n g l e s t a t e . 
See g e n e r a l l y , e.g., 
P r o f e s s i o n a l I n s . 
Corp. v. S u t h e r l a n d , 700 So. 2d 347, 
349 
( A l a . 1997) ( u p h o l d i n g e n f o r c e a b i l i t y o f 
an "outbound" forum-
s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e p r o v i d i n g f o r d i s p u t e s between t h e 
p a r t i e s 
t o 
be " c o n d u c t e d i n 
Duval County, F l o r i d a " ) ; Ex p a r t e D.M. White  
C o n s t r . Co., 806 So. 2d 370, 371 ( A l a . 2001) ( u p h o l d i n g 
e n f o r c e a b i l i t y 
o f a 
"'outbound' 
f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e " 
p r o v i d i n g f o r 
d i s p u t e s between t h e 
p a r t i e s t o 
be i n s t i t u t e d 
" i n t h e 
c o u r t s o f H a m i l t o n County, Tennessee"); and 
High L i f e  
S a l e s Co. v. Brown-Forman Corp., 823 S.W.2d 493 (Mo. 1992) 
( a f f i r m i n g t r i a l c o u r t ' s d e n i a l o f 
motion t o 
d i s m i s s an a c t i o n 
i n o r d e r t o a l l o w i t 
t o be r e f i l e d i n K e n t u c k y , t h e forum 
d e s i g n a t e d 
i n t h e agreement). 
The 
q u e s t i o n 
o f t h e 
19 
1111239 
e n f o r c e a b i l i t y 
of 
such 
c l a u s e s 
i n 
such 
cases 
t r i g g e r s 
d i f f e r e n t p o l i c y c o n c e r n s than are p r e s e n t e d 
i n the 
p r e s e n t 
case 
( i n v o l v i n g a s i m p l e f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e t h a t w i l l 
be 
a p p l i e d t o govern the c h o i c e between c o u n t i e s i n Alabama, each 
of w h i c h , presumably, i s an o t h e r w i s e 
a p p r o p r i a t e venue f o r 
the a c t i o n , see S u t h e r l a n d , 
700 
So. 
2d a t 351 
( i n t e r p r e t i n g 
A l a . Code 1975, 
§ 6-3-1, t o p e r m i t 
p a r t i e s t o "agree[] 
t o 
r e s t r i c t a c t i o n t o a p a r t i c u l a r forum t h a t i s a u t h o r i z e d under 
the venue s t a t u t e s " ) ) . 
In 
any 
e v e n t , 
I 
do 
not 
f i n d 
i t n e c e s s a r y 
i n 
t h i s 
p a r t i c u l a r case t o address the s t a n d a r d by w h i c h a c o u r t must 
d e c i d e whether t o e n f o r c e 
a f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n 
c l a u s e 
of 
the 
n a t u r e p r e s e n t e d 
here. 
I n s t e a d , i t appears t o me 
t h a t 
the 
o n l y q u e s t i o n p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s case i s the one p r e s e n t e d 
by 
the 
p o s i t i o n 
t a k e n 
by 
F i s h Market R e s t a u r a n t s , 
I n c . , 
and 
George S a r r i s 
( h e r e i n a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o c o l l e c t i v e l y as " F i s h 
Market") t h a t the f o r u m - s e l e c t i o n c l a u s e i n the January 
18, 
2007, c o n t r a c t was 
not a f u n c t i o n of "a c l e a r m e e t i n g of the 
minds between the 
p a r t i e s . " 
As 
t o 
t h i s 
m e e t i n g - o f - t h e - m i n d s 
argument, 
the 
main 
o p i n i o n 
p o i n t s 
out 
t h a t 
F i s h Market 
r e l i e s 
upon 
a 
case 
c o n c e r n e d o n l y w i t h an " a c c o r d and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n , " namely 
Ray 
20 
1111239 
v. Alabama C e n t r a l C r e d i t Union, 472 So. 2d 1012 
( A l a . 1985) . 
The main o p i n i o n 
c o r r e c t l y n o t e s t h a t the p r e s e n t case does 
not i n v o l v e an a c c o r d and s a t i s f a c t i o n , b u t I do not r e a d F i s h 
M a r k e t ' s argument as c o n t e n d i n g o t h e r w i s e . 
An 
a c c o r d and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n i s i n f a c t a t y p e o f c o n t r a c t , and i t appears t o 
me 
t h a t 
F i s h Market 
j u s t happens t o have quoted 
from 
an 
a c c o r d - a n d - s a t i s f a c t i o n 
case i n an 
e f f o r t 
t o document the 
elements of a c o n t r a c t u a l agreement. 
The main o p i n i o n goes on 
t o c i t e Ex p a r t e G r a n t , 711 So. 2d 464 
( A l a . 1997), f o r t h e 
p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t one 
o f " ' " [ t ] h e 
r e q u i s i t e elements 
of [a 
c o n t r a c t ] " ' " i s "'"mutual a s s e n t t o terms e s s e n t i a l t o the 
f o r m a t i o n of a c o n t r a c t , " ' " 
So. 3d a t 
, an element I 
see as no d i f f e r e n t from the " a s s e n t o r m e e t i n g of the minds 
of the p a r t i e s " element quoted by F i s h Market from Ray 
v.  
Alabama C e n t r a l C r e d i t U n i o n , 472 So.2d a t 1014. 
I n o t h e r 
words, a t l e a s t i n s o f a r as the i s s u e p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s case i s 
concerned, I cannot agree w i t h the main o p i n i o n t h a t 
" [ t ] h e 
elements germane t o the 
f o r m a t i o n of a 
c o n t r a c t 
... 
are 
d i f f e r e n t 
than 
the 
elements 
germane 
t o 
an 
a c c o r d 
and 
21 
1111239 
s a t i s f a c t i o n . " 
So. 
3d 
a t 
. 
A g a i n , 
an 
a c c o r d 
and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n i s but a form of a c o n t r a c t .
3 
Because the main o p i n i o n c o n c l u d e s t h a t " [ t ] h e elements 
germane t o the f o r m a t i o n of a c o n t r a c t ... are d i f f e r e n t than 
the elements germane t o an a c c o r d and 
s a t i s f a c t i o n , " 
So. 
3d a t 
, i t f i n d s F i s h M a r k e t ' s argument u t i l i z i n g 
a c c o r d -
a n d - s a t i s f a c t i o n p r e c e d e n t "not p e r s u a s i v e . " 
So. 
3d 
a t 
. 
I 
f i n d 
F i s h 
M a r k e t ' s 
p o s i t i o n 
i n 
t h i s 
case 
not 
p e r s u a s i v e 
f o r a d i f f e r e n t r e a s o n , 
namely, t h a t F i s h Market 
has f a i l e d t o demonstrate t h a t i t d i d not o b j e c t i v e l y m a n i f e s t 
i t s 
agreement t o 
the 
p r o v i s i o n i n q u e s t i o n . 
As 
the 
main 
o p i n i o n 
a p t l y p o i n t s out, 
" ' [ a ] s s e n t must be 
m a n i f e s t e d 
by 
something. 
O r d i n a r i l y , i t i s m a n i f e s t e d 
by a s i g n a t u r e , ' " at 
l e a s t i n r e g a r d 
t o a w r i t t e n c o n t r a c t . 
So. 
3d a t 
( q u o t i n g Southern Energy Homes, I n c . v. H e n n i s, 776 
So. 
2d 
105, 
108 
( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) ) ( e m p h a s i s o m i t t e d ) . 
As the main o p i n i o n 
3On 
a r e l a t e d n o t e , I do not agree w i t h the r e f e r e n c e s 
i n 
the main o p i n i o n s u g g e s t i n g 
t h a t a " l e a s e " i s not a c t u a l l y a 
c o n t r a c t 
but 
m e r e l y 
" i s t r e a t e d 
as 
a 
c o n t r a c t 
under 
our 
p r e c e d e n t . " 
So. 3d a t 
(emphasis added). 
In p o i n t of 
f a c t , a l t h o u g h i t i s t r u e t h a t a l e a s e does c r e a t e an i n t e r e s t 
i n 
l a n d , a l e a s e 
i s a c o n t r a c t , as n o t e d by 
the case 
a l s o 
c i t e d 
i n 
the 
main 
o p i n i o n , 
Bowdoin 
Square, 
L.L.C. 
v. 
 
W i n n - D i x i e Montgomery, I n c . , 873 So. 2d 1091, 
1098 
( A l a . 2003) 
( n o t i n g 
t h a t 
" l e a s e 
agreements 
are 
c o n t r a c t s " 
(emphasis 
a d d e d ) ) . 
22 
1111239 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
e x p l a i n s , 
" [ t ] h e 
o n l y 
e v i d e n c e 
F i s h 
Market 
d i r e c t s t h i s C o u r t ' s a t t e n t i o n t o i n d i c a t i n g t h a t R i v e r f r o n t 
and F i s h Market d i d not m u t u a l l y a s s e n t t o the terms e s s e n t i a l 
t o the f o r m a t i o n of the l e a s e " d a t e d J a n u a r y 18, 2007, 
So. 
3d a t 
, i s the t e s t i m o n y of S a r r i s i n w h i c h he 
f o c u s e s 
p r i m a r i l y on the f a c t t h a t he never r e c e i v e d an o r i g i n a l copy 
of 
the 
l e a s e . 
In 
t h i s 
r e s p e c t , 
I 
f u l l y 
agree 
w i t h 
the 
s t a t e m e n t 
i n the main 
o p i n i o n 
t h a t 
" F i s h Market 
has 
not 
d i r e c t e d t h i s C o u r t ' s a t t e n t i o n t o any a u t h o r i t y i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
the 
... 
t e s t i m o n y 
o f 
an 
u n d i s p u t e d 
s i g n a t o r y 
t o 
a 
c o n t r a c t 
s t a t i n g s i m p l y t h a t he never 
r e c e i v e d an 
o r i g i n a l 
copy o f the c o n t r a c t demonstrates 
t h a t the p a r t i e s had 
not 
m u t u a l l y a s s e n t e d t o the terms o f the c o n t r a c t . " 
So. 
3d 
a t 
. 
I b e l i e v e the f o r e g o i n g i s s u f f i c i e n t a n a l y s i s upon which 
t o 
d e c i d e 
t h i s 
case, 
and 
I 
e x p r e s s 
no 
agreement 
or 
disagreement w i t h any p o r t i o n of the a n a l y s i s t h a t f o l l o w s the 
l a t t e r s t a t e m e n t i n the main o p i n i o n . 
23