# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 4- 26 36

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LoR oa d, LLC

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el la nt

v.

Glo ba l Ex pe di ti on Vehi cl es , LLC

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Weste rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - Sp rin gf ie ld

__ __ __ __ __ __
Su bm it te d: Feb ru ary 11 , 20 15 Fil ed : J un e 1 , 20 15

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re LOKEN, SMITH, and COLLOTON, Cir cu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ LOKEN, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

LoR oa d, L.L.C., ba se d in Oreg on , ne go ti at e d t o ha ve Glo ba l Exp ed it io n Veh ic le s, L.L.C. (GXV), ba se d in Mi ss ou ri, bu il d a cu st om ex pe di ti on ve hi cl e. W it h th e pr ojec t un de rway , th e rel at io ns hi p br ok e do wn. LoR oa d fil ed th is di ve rs it y act io n
to co m pe l arb it rat io n of t h e d i s p u te , in vo ki ng th e arb it rat io n pr ov is io n in a writ te n Ass em bl y Agr eem en t al le ge dl y en te red in to by th e pa rti es

. GXV de ni ed a va l id
,
en fo rcea bl e ag reem en t to arb it rat e. Ru li ng on cro ss -m ot io ns fo r su m m ary jud gm en t,th e di st ric t co ur t he ld th at LoR oa d fai le d to acce pt th e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t si gn ed 1 by GXV; th eref

or e, th e co ur t co ul d no t en f o r c e th e arb it rat io n pr ov is io n in th at Agr eem en t. LoR oa d a pp eal s t he res ul ti ng ad ve rs e su m m ary jud gm en t. We affir m

.

I.

In Sep te m

be r 20 12
, wil de r n es s ph ot og rap he r Ro dn ey Lou gh on be ha lf of
LoR oa d be ga n ne go ti at io ns wit h GXV fo r co ns tru ct io n of a cu st om ex p e d i t i on

ve hi cl e to be us ed by LoR oa d f or Lou gh ’s of

f-ro ad ph ot og rap hy ex pe di ti on s. On
Octo be r 1, GXV se nt a pr op os ed Ass em bl y A g r e e ment fo r Lou gh ’s rev ie w. The Agr eem en t co nt ai ne d te rm s su ffi ci en tl y de fin it e an d co m pl et e th at , ha d LoR oa d

acce pt ed
, it wou ld ha ve be en a bi nd in g co nt ract

. The te rm s in cl ud ed a

“ no nr efu nd ab le de po si t of $1 20 ,00 0 to be pa id at co nt ract si gn in g,” an d an arb it rat io n cl au se

. GXV als o e m ai le d Lo ug h t ha t i t wo ul d pu rch as e a 20 01 BAE 6x 6 tru ck fo r $1 10 ,00 0 to se rv e as th e ba se fo r Lou gh ’s cu st om ve hi cl e. Each su bs eq ue nt ve rs io n of th e Ass em

bl y Agr eem en t in cl ud ed th is sp eci fic tru ck in cal cu la ti ng th e to ta l co st
to bu il d.

Rat he r th an acce pt th e Octo be r 1 pr op os ed A gr eem en t, Lou gh ret ur ne d a

m ark ed -u p co py o n Octo be r 9. GXV sen t a r ev is ed Agr eem en t on Octo be r 22 , a nd aft er fu rth er ne go ti at io ns , an ot he r rev is ed Agr eem en t on Octo be r 31

. On Nov em be r 2, LoR oa d wire d $1 20 ,00 0 to GXV, whi ch Ren é Van Pel t of GXV ack no wled ge d on Nov em be r 5. On Nov em

be r 16
, Lou gh fax ed GXV th e Octo be r 31 dr aft Agr eem en t wit h rel at iv el y m in or ha nd writ te n no ta ti on s an d ch an ge s. In th e sp ace fo r LoR oa d’s si gn at ur e at th e en d of th e Agr eem en t, Lou gh wro te “ LeeAn na Lou gh ” (h is wife an d al so a LoR oa d pr in ci pa l) ab ov e th e LoR oa d si gn at ur e li ne , an d “ By :” be lo w th at li ne

.

The Hon or a b l e Sara h W

. Hay s, Uni te d St at es Mag is tra te Ju dg e fo r th e 1 W es te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.

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-On Nov em be r 28 , Lo ug h em ai le d, “ W e st il l ha ve un fin is he d b us in es s.” Van
P e l t r e s p o nd ed wit h an swe rs to “ no te s an d qu es ti on s th at we rece iv ed by fax o n Nov em be r 16 th .” On Decem

be r 6, GXV se nt a rece ip t fo r t h e $ 1 2 0
, 0 0 0 wit h th e

s u bjec t li ne , “ Co nt ract Dep os it ,” an d em ai le d a st at us rep or t on acq ui rin g th e b a s e

ve hi cl e. On Decem

be r 11
, aft er fu rth er co m mu n i c a ti on s, Van Pel t se nt LoR oa d a

rev is ed Bu il d Lis t, whi ch was “ Exh ib it A” to th e Ass em bl y A g r e e m en t an d li st ed

sp eci fic at io ns fo r th e ve hi cl e. Van Pel t no te d, “ Onc e I ge t a th um bs up on th e Bu il d Lis t, I wil l rev is e th e co nt ract an d em ai l to yo u a s a c om pl et e do cu m en t se t.” On
Decem be r 15
, Lou gh em ai le d Van Pel t, “ I am st il l no t feel in g co m fo rta bl e wit h ho w th in gs are at th e m om en t . . . W e are ve ry se rio us ly l oo ki ng at pu ll in g ou t, at whi ch

po in t wi ll [] wan t o ur m on ey ret ur ne d.”

On Ja nu ary 30
, 20 13
, Van Pel t e mai l e d Ro dn ey Lou gh
, “ You r BAE 6x 6 in

tra ns it ,” ex pl ai ni ng GXV’ s d el ay in ge tt in g t he tru ck an d p red ic ti ng it wou ld arri ve
at GXV on Fri da y

. On Frid ay , Feb ru ary 1, Van Pelt em ai le d Lou gh a pi ct ur e of th e
tru ck

. On Feb ru ary 11
, Lou gh em ai le d Van Pel t as ki ng fo r a st at us rep or t. Van Pel t

res po nd ed th at GXV’ s en gi ne eri ng te am ha d st art ed work on th e tr uc k, wo ul d s en d it to be pa in te d whe n th ey were do ne , an d as ke d Lou gh to “ res po nd vi a em ai l th at th e

co lo r is st ay in g p er Bu il d Li st : Whi te .”

The ne xt do cu m en ta ry ex ch an ge fram es th e c o nt ract is su e on ap pe al

. On Feb ru ary 11
, Lou gh em ai le d Van Pelt sa y in g LoRo ad “ ha d no reco rd of th e pa rti es ’

crea ti ng an d ex ecu ti ng a fin al se t of do cu m en ts .” Lou gh as ke d GXV to se nd “ a fin al

se t [o f do cu m en ts ] in co rp or at in g ev erythi ng we’ve co m e to ag reem en t on ” “ fo r fin al

rev ie w an d th en si gn at ur es , so we can ge t th is th in g m ov in g.” Van P e l t res po nd ed th at GXV rece iv ed a si gn ed co nt ract fro m LoR oa d on Nov em be r 16

. Lou gh rep li ed

2
he ha d n o r e c o r d of th at , a nd as ke d Van Pel t to “ se nd m e a co py o f wha t y ou ha ve ,

GXV in te rp ret ed th e ha n d writ te n “ LeeAn na Lou gh ” on th e m ark ed -u p 2 Agr eem en t Lo Ro ad sen t o n No ve m be r 16 as a n a ut ho riz ed LoRo ad si gn at ur e.

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-be cau se we do no t ha ve on e he re no r do we ha ve an ex ecu te d co py fro m y ou ei th er.”

I n res po ns e, Van Pel t ret ur ne d a co py of th e Agr eem en t rece iv ed fro m LoR oa d o n Nov em be r 16 , wi th Lou gh ’s h an dwr it te n ch an ge s an d wit h th e ad di ti on of M ic ha el
Van Pel t’s s ig na tu re o n t he GXV sig na tu re l in e, bu t wi th ou t t he cri ti cal Bu il d Li st

.

In a Feb ru ary 14 rep ly, Lou gh as ke d fo r th e en ti re Agr eem en t, st at ed he di d no t kn ow whe re th e do cu m en t cam e fro m , an d as se rte d, “ Tha t is NOT Le eAn na ’s si gn at ur e

. . . I wou ld ne ve r ha ve au th or iz ed LeeAn na to si gn a do cu m en t th at was no t read y f o r s i g n a t ur e an d th is do cu m en t is n’t th ere an d th eref or e we wou ld no t ha ve si gn ed it

. I ha ve em ai ls fro m y ou go in g th ro ug h a n d in to Decem be r whe re th e two of us co nt in ue fin al iz in g th e do cu m en ts as th ey ha ve no t be e n co m pl et ed .” Lou gh fu rth er st at ed
, “ W e do wan t y ou gu y s to crea te th is ve hi cl e ho wev er we are no whe re

ne ar ha vi ng th e do cu m en ts do ne

. . . an d whi le y ou ha ve ou r co m m it m en t in th e fo rm of a $1 20 k de po si t, th at in no way m ean s th at y ou ha ve an ag reem en t wit h us un ti l th e fin al do cu m en ts are s ig ne d, s eal ed an d d el iv ered pro pe rly.”

On Feb ru ary 22
, Van Pel t s e n t a d oc um en t ti tl ed “ Ass em bl y Agr eem en t Add en du m ” da te d Feb ru ary 20 13
, an d a Bu il d Lis t da te d Decem be r 11
, 20 12 (n ei th er do cu m en t is in th e reco rd on ap pe al ). Lou gh res po nd ed : “ Sen di ng us an Add en du m fo r a no n- ex ecu te d Ass em bl y Agr eem en t is no t wha t y ou sa id y ou wou ld do .” Lou gh

“ of fic ia ll y di sp ut ed y ou r as se rti on th at th e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t is a s i g n e d a n d

ex ecu te d do cu m en t.” On Feb ru ary 25
, Lou gh rei te rat ed LoR oa d ha d no t ex ecu te d an
ag reem en t an d de sc rib ed th e $1 20 ,00 0 as a “ go od fai th de po si t,” no t a pa y m en t un de r th e Ass em

bl y Agre em en t. GXV th en ceas ed work on th e cu st om ve hi cl e.

In Mar ch
, LoR oa d’s at to rn ey be ga n co m m un ic at in g wit h GXV. His fir st le tt er
st at ed
, “ Lo Ro ad is co m

m it te d to pu rch as in g th e Exp ed it io n Veh ic le ” bu t “ th ere is no fin al
, ex ecu te d co nt ract in pl ace.” The le tt er st at ed th at , “ acco rd in g to al l dr aft s of th e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t, si gn ed or no t, GXV’ s co m m en cem en t of wor k was to be gi n 15 da y s aft er rece ip t of th e de po si t,” ex pr es se d co nc ern ab ou t th e de la y s, an d as ke d fo r

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-cert ai n act io n it em s to be co m pl et ed
, in cl ud in g a rev is ed Bu il d Lis t. An at ta ch m en t de ta il ed ele ve n re as on s wh y th ere was “ No Ex ecu te d C on tra ct in Pla ce.”

On Mar ch 15
, LoR oa d’s at to rn ey se nt an ot he r le tt er, in vo ki ng th e Ade qu at e Ass ur an ces pr ov is io n of th e Uni fo rm Co m m erci al Co de

. GXV res po nd ed on Mar ch
16
, “ Glo ba l Exp ed it io n Veh ic le s co nt en ds th at we do ha ve an ex ecu te d co nt ract wit h

t h e Lo R o a d
, LLC. W e ha ve ex pe nd ed a gr eat de al of m on ey an d en gi ne eri ng
pa y ro ll
, ba se d on th is co nt r a c t

. ” Van Pel t se nt an em ai l on Mar ch 27 ex pr es si ng

su rp ris e th at Lou g h w a nt ed to ch an ge th e Bu il d Lis t be cau se Lou gh ad vi se d on Feb ru ary 22 he wan te d to pr oc eed wit h th e Decem be r 11
, 20 12 Bu il d Lis t. On Apr il
19 , LoRo ad ’s att or ne y

sen t a le tt er sta ti ng th at GXV ha d fa il ed to pro vi de ad eq ua te

as su ran ces an d was in m at eri al bre ach of th e co nt ract , a nd th at LoR oa d in te nd ed to i n st it ut e arb it rat io n pu rs ua nt to th e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t. Thi s pe ti ti on to co m pe l arb it rat io n fo ll owe d.

II

.

L oRoa d arg ue s th at th e te rm s of th e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t th at GXV si gn ed an d fax ed to LoR oa d on Feb ru ary 13
, 20 13
, in cl ud ed an ag reem en t to arb it r a t e th at is

en fo rcea bl e ag ai ns t GXV. If en fo rcea bl e, th e Ass em bl y Ag r e e men t is “ a co nt ract

ev id en ci ng a tra ns act io n in vo lv in g co m m erce ” su bjec t to th e Fed eral Arb it rat io n Act,
9 U.S.C. § 2. Howev er, th e pa rti es ag ree th at Mi ss ou ri co nt ract la w go ve rn s th e is su e

on ap pe al

. Und er bo th th e Fed eral Arb it rat io n Act an d Mi ss ou ri la w, “ [a] pa rty who ha s no t ag reed to arb it rat e a di sp ut e can no t be fo rced to do so

. Acco rd in gl y , th e co ur t

m us t de te rm in e whe th er th ere is an ag reem en t be twee n th os e pa rti es whi ch co m m it s th e su bjec t m at te r of th e di sp ut e to arb it r a ti on .” PCS Nit ro ge n Fert il iz er, L.P. v. Ch ris ty Refr act or ie s, L.L.C., 22 5 F.3 d 97 4, 97 7- 78 (8 th Ci r. 20 0 0) (q uo ta ti on s

om it te d) ; se e Arro whe ad Co nt ract in g, In c. v. M.H. W as h., LLC, 24 3 S.W .3d 53 2, 53 5 (Mo

. App

. 20 08 ). The pa rty se ek in g to co m pe l arb it rat io n ha s th e bu rd en to pr ov e a

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-va li d an d en fo rcea bl e arb it rat io n ag reem en t. Bai er v. Dard en R e s t a u ran ts , 42 0

S.W .3d 73 3, 7 37 (Mo . App . 20 14 ).

As th e Ass em

bl y Agr eem en t co nc ern ed th e sa le of “ go od s,” it is go ve rn ed by
A r t ic le 2 of Mi ss ou ri’s Uni fo rm Co m m erci al Co de

. See Mo

. Rev

. St at

. § 4 0 0

. 2

- 10 5( 1)

. Gen eral pr in ci pl es of co nt ract la w ap pl y un le ss “ di sp la ced by th e pa rti cu la r
pr ov is io ns ” of th e UCC. Mo

. Rev

. St at

. § 40 0.1 -1 03

. Und er th e UCC, “ [a] co nt ract fo r sa le of go od s m ay be m ad e in an y m an ne r su ffi ci en t to sh ow ag reem en t, in cl ud in g

co nd uc t by bo th pa rti es whi ch reco gn iz es th e ex is te nc e of su ch a co nt ract .” Mo

. Rev

. St at

. § 4 0 0

. 2- 20 4( 1)

. W it ho ut qu es ti on , th e writ in g on whi ch LoR oa d rel ie s was

su ffi ci en tl y de fin i t e to fo rm a co nt ract en fo rcea bl e ag ai ns t GXV, in cl ud in g it s

a r bi tra ti on pr ov is io n. See Mo

. Rev

. St at

. § 40 0.2 -2 01 (1 ). Bu t a writ in g a l o n e i s in su ffi ci en t if it do es no t es ta bl is h th at an ag reem en t was reac he d be twee n th e pa rti es ; th e do cu m en t m

us t “ in di cat e th e co ns um m at io n of a co nt ract , no t m ere ne go ti at io ns .”
Howar d C o n s t r

. Co

. v. Je ff-C ol e Qua rri es , In c., 66 9 S.W .2d 22 1, 22 7 (Mo

. App

. 19 83 ). The refo re, LoR oa d m us t sh ow an ag re emen t be twee n th e pa rti es

. The di st ric t

co ur t co nc lu de d th at th e un di sp ut ed fact s es ta bl is h th at LoRo ad ne ve r acce pt ed th e Ass em bl y Agre em en t. We agre e.

The UCC “ ex pa nd s th e tra di ti on al co nc ep t of a co nt ract ,” bu t it “ co nt in ue s th e

co m m on -la w pr in ci pl e th at th e in te nt of th e pa rti e s t o mak e a co nt ract m us t be

m an ife st ed .” Co m

pu te r Netwo rk
, Ltd

. v. Pu rcel l Tire & Ru bb er Co
., 74 7 S.W .2d 66 9,
67 4 (Mo

. App

. 19 88 ). Thu s, th e “ co re is su e” is w h e t h e r bo th LoR oa d an d GXV in te nd ed to for m

a le ga ll y bi nd in g c on tra ct :

If th e pa rti es in te nd ed no bi nd in g ag reem en t or co nt rac t , t h e ru le s of

co ns tru ct io n an d in te rp ret at io n wil l no t es ta b l i s h on e. If no in te nt is fo un d, th e in qu iry is pu t to an en d. If the ex pr es si on s in th e ag reem en t

are c le ar, t he co ur t d et erm in es th e in te nt fro m a read in g of t he writ in g. If th e in te nt is no t cl earl y ex pr es se d, th en su rro un di ng ci rcu ms t a n c e s

-6

-m ay be co ns id ered -- th e s u b s e q u e n t ac ti on s of th e pa rt ie s an d th e

pr act ic al co ns tru ct io n o f th e co nt ract

.

Id

. (em ph as is ad de d ). The in te nt whi ch we are co nc ern ed wit h is th e pa rti es ’ ob jecti ve in te nt an d wha t a reas on ab ly pr ud en t pe rs on wou ld ha ve be en le d to be li ev e fro m th e act io ns or wo rd s o f th e p art ie s. See id . at 6 75

.

Here, if an au th or iz ed rep res en ta ti ve ha d si gn ed th e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t th at LoR oa d fax ed to GXV on Nov em be r 16
, 20 12
, th en th e do cu m en t was an of fer, an d 3
bo th si de s m an i f

e s t e d t h e in te nt to fo rm a bi nd in g co nt ract whe n GXV si gn ed th at do cu m en t an d ret ur ne d it to LoR oa d o n F e b r u a ry 13
, 20 13

. Thi s was GXV’ s

c o n t e mpo ran eo us in te rp ret at io n of th e effe ct of it s act io n on Feb ru ary 13

. B u t LoR oa d im

m ed ia te ly ob

jecte d an d co un te red wit h st ro ng , in de ed pe rs ua si ve reas on s why th e m ark ed -u p do cu m en t it fax ed on Nov em be r 16 was no t a bi nd in g of fer th at GXV co ul d acce pt , po in ti ng ou t it was no t Le e A n n a Lo u g h’s si gn at ur e on th e do cu m en t, an d sh e was no t au th or iz ed to si gn a co nt ract bi nd in g LoR oa d

. Thu s, th is do cu m en t d i d no t cl earl y m an ife st LoR oa d’s in te nt to fo rm a bi nd in g co nt ract

. Rat he r, it ap pe ars to be m erel y an ot he r m ark -u p of an Ass em bl y Agr eem en t th at GXV ha d in it ia ll y pr op os ed an d whi ch th e pa rti es ha d b een ne go ti at in g fo r ov er a m on th

. See Fu tu reF u e l C he m

. Co

. v. Lon za, In c., 75 6 F.3 d 64 1, 64 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ) (“ on go in g ne go ti at io ns be twee n th e pa rti es ov er th es e te rm s de m on st rat es th at th ere

was no m ut ua l as se nt ”).

Loo ki ng be y on d th e co nt ract do cu m en t on w hic h L oR oa d re lie s, the undi sp ut ed fact s es ta bl is h cl ear, im m ed ia te , un eq ui vo cal re je c ti on by LoR oa d an d it s at to rn ey

An of fer is “ th e m an ife st at io n of wil li ng ne ss to en te r in to a ba rg ai n, so m ad e 3

as to jus ti fy an ot he r pe rs on in un de rs ta nd in g th at hi s as se nt to th at ba rg ai n is in vi te d

an d wil l co nc lu de it .” See Bro wn Mac h., Div

. of Jo hn Bro wn, In c. v. Hercu le s, In c., 77 0 S.W .2d 41 6, 41 9 (Mo

. App

. 19 89 ), ci ti ng Res ta te m en t (Sec on d) of Co nt ract s § 24 (1 98 1)

.
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-whe n GXV cl ai m ed in Feb ru ary 20 13 th at a bi nd in g co nt ract ha d be en fo rm ed

. W hi le

su ch su bs eq ue nt act io n wou ld no t rev ok e or nu ll ify a co nt ract al read y f o r med
, it is rel ev an t in res ol vi ng th e am bi gu it y as to whe th er LoR oa d in te nd ed to be bo un d to th e
te rm s o f t h e mar k e d

- up fo rm of co nt ract it se nt to GXV on Nov em be r 16

. Thi s is

pr eci se ly th e an al y si s th at th is co ur t an d Mi ss ou ri co ur ts ha ve co nd uc te d in res ol vi ng di sp ut es ov er whe th er on go in g ne go ti at io ns th at in cl ud ed th e ex ch an ge of m ul ti pl e dr aft ag reem en ts res ul te d in a bi nd in g co nt ract

. See Arro whe ad
, 24 3 S.W .3d at 53 5- 36 (n o co nt ract to arb it rat e fo rm ed ); Co m pu te r Netwo rk
, 74 7 S.W .2d at 67 5 (co nt ract fo rm ed ); Howar d, 66 9 S.W .2d at 22 8- 29 (n o co nt ract ); Sh ap le ig h In v. Co

. v. Mi ll er, 19 3 S.W .2d 93 1, 93 7 (Mo

. App

. 19 46 ) (co nt ract fo rm ed ); Fu tu reFu el
, 75 6 F.3 d at 64 7 (n o co nt ract ); Co no ll y v. Cl ark
, 45 7 F.3 d 87 2, 87 6 (8 th Ci r. 2 00 6) (e-m ai l

co rres po nd en ce fo ll owi ng al le ge d ha nd -s ha ke ag reem en t sh owe d co nt in u i ng

ne go ti at io ns ); Mo se s.co m Secu rit ie s, In c. v. Co m p. So ftwa re Sy s., In c., 26 3 F.3 d 78 3,
78 4 (8 th Cir . 20 01 ) (n o c on tra ct ).

LoR oa d fu rth er arg ue s th at t h e r eq ui si te in te nt to fo rm a bi nd in g Ass em bl y Agr eem en t was pr ov ed by “ co nd uc t by bo th pa rti es whi ch reco gn iz e[d ] th e ex is te nc e of su ch a co nt ract .” Mo

. Rev

. St at

. § 4 00 .2-2 04 (1 ); se e § 40 0.2 -2 07 (3 ). W e ag ree GXV’ s co nd uc t was co ns is te nt wit h reco gn it io n of a bi nd in g co nt ract

. Bu t th e is su e is LoR oa d’s in te nt , an d t h e o n ly “ co nd uc t” as se rte d on th e pa rt of LoR oa d was it s
pa y m e n t o f $ 1 20 ,00 0 on Nov em be r 2, be fo re it se nt th e Nov em

be r 16 m ark ed -u p

co nt ract to GXV. The Ass em bl y Agr eem en t cal le d fo r pa y m en t of a no nr efu nd ab le de po si t of $1 20 ,00 0 “ at co nt ract si gn in g.” On Feb ru ary 25
, aft er GXV as se rte d th at

a fin al co nt ract was in pl ace, Lou gh em ai le d th at “ th e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t is NOT

y et ex ecu te d,” de sc rib in g hi s Nov em be r 16 ve rs io n as a “ ch an ge do cu m en t,” an d th e $1 20 ,00 0 as “ a go od fai th de po si t . . . to de m on st rat e o ur ser io us ne ss ab ou t m ov in g fo rward on th is pr ojec t.” On th is reco rd
, we ag ree wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at th ere

was si mp l y n o co nd uc t by LoR oa d th at reco gn iz ed th e ex is te nc e of a bi nd in g

co nt ract

. See Fu tu reFu el
, 75 6 F.3 d at 64 7 (“ th e pa rti es di d no t co nd uc t th ei r bu si ne ss in reco gn it io n o f a v al id co nt ract ua l ar ran ge m en t” ).

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-Fi na ll y , LoR oa d arg ue s th at an en fo rcea bl e ag reem en t to arb it rat e was fo rm ed

be cau se , “ [w]hil e th ere are nu m ero us ch an ge s be twee n an d amo n g t h e si x ve rs io ns [o f th e Ass em

bl y Agr eem en t], no t a si ng le wor d of th e arb it rat io n pr ov is io n ch an ge d fro m th e fir st ve rs io n se nt by GXV to LoR oa d on Octo be r 1, 20 12
, to th e Nov em be r 16 ve rs io n e xe cu te d b y

GXV.” Thi s con te nt io n is wit ho ut m eri t. Whil e th e p art ie s

co ul d ha ve ex ecu te d a free -s ta nd in g ag reem en t to arb it rat e di sp ut es th at aro se un de r wha te ve r Ass em

bl y Agr eem en t was ul ti m at el y si gn ed
, th ere is no t a sh red of ev id en ce of th ei r in te nt to do so

. Thu s, th ere was an en fo rcea bl e ag reem en t to arb it rat e if, an d

on ly if, LoR oa d pr ov ed th ere was a fin al
, en fo rcea bl e Ass em bl y Agr eem en t. As th e

un di sp ut ed ev id en ce sh owe d no su ch co nt ract was fo rm ed
, th e di st ric t co ur t pr op erl y
gr an te d s um m ary jud gm en t i n fa vo r of GXV.

The jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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