Opinion ID: 1740033
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Nature of Motion and Order and Standard of Review

Text: As a preliminary matter, we find it necessary to determine the nature of the motion and order under review as they relate to the enforcement of the forum selection clauses. Although Patriot fashioned its motion raising the forum selection issue as a motion for summary judgment, we determine that the appropriate procedure in Nebraska for raising an issue seeking to enforce a forum selection clause which provides that an action be brought in another state is a motion to dismiss pursuant to § 25-415. We treat the proceedings below accordingly. In Ameritas Invest. Corp. v. McKinney, 269 Neb. 564, 694 N.W.2d 191 (2005), we stated that under the facts present therein, the defendant properly raised a challenge to forum selection clauses as a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction over the person pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. of Pldg. in Civ. Actions 12(b)(2) (rev.2003). The forum selection clauses in the relevant contracts in Ameritas Invest. Corp. named Nebraska, and in particular Lancaster County, as the forum for suits under the contracts. We noted that § 25-414 of the Act applies where the Nebraska court would have no jurisdiction but for the fact that the parties have consented to its exercise by the choice-of-forum agreement. We determined that a challenge which claims that a forum selection clause naming Nebraska as the forum does not meet the requirements of the Act is properly viewed as a challenge to the personal jurisdiction over the defendant by the Nebraska court and that therefore, the challenge was properly raised in a rule 12(b)(2) motion to dismiss. In contrast to Ameritas Invest. Corp., wherein the defendant resisted a forum selection clause which named Nebraska as the forum, in the present action, Patriot, in the Nebraska case, seeks to enforce a forum selection clause which names another jurisdiction, Pennsylvania, as the forum. The issue raised by Patriot in the present case therefore is not an issue challenging personal jurisdiction, and a rule 12(b)(2) motion to dismiss would not be the proper procedure to raise the forum selection issue. While, as noted in Ameritas Invest. Corp., forum selection clauses naming Nebraska as the forum are governed by § 25-414 of the Act, forum selection clauses naming a jurisdiction other than Nebraska are governed by § 25-415. Section 25-415 is titled Choice of forum in another state; action pending in this state; procedure and provides: If the parties have agreed in writing that an action on a controversy shall be brought only in another state and it is brought in a court of this state, the court will dismiss or stay the action, as appropriate, unless (1) the court is required by statute to entertain the action; (2) the plaintiff cannot secure effective relief in the other state, for reasons other than delay in bringing the action; (3) the other state would be a substantially less convenient place for the trial of the action than this state; (4) the agreement as to the place of the action was obtained by misrepresentation, duress, the abuse of economic power, or other unconscionable means; or (5) it would for some other reason be unfair or unreasonable to enforce the agreement. We read § 25-415 to provide the procedure in Nebraska whereby a party may enforce a forum selection clause naming another state as the forum. Section 25-415 provides that the court will dismiss or stay the action, as appropriate, unless one of the exceptions is present. Giving meaning to the word dismiss in § 25-415, we determine that the proper procedure in Nebraska courts for a party to enforce a forum selection clause naming another state as a forum is to file a motion to dismiss pursuant to § 25-415. See Haakinson & Beaty Co. v. Inland Ins. Co., 216 Neb. 426, 344 N.W.2d 454 (1984). We determine that the motion for summary judgment filed by Patriot in this case can be treated as a motion to dismiss pursuant to § 25-415 and that the court's April 14, 2006, order can be treated as an order granting such motion to dismiss. With regard to the standard of review, we determine that in ruling on a motion to dismiss pursuant to § 25-415, a trial court engages in a procedure similar to ruling on a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under rule 12(b)(1), in that the court may base its decision solely on the complaint or may need to make findings of fact. See, generally, Bohaboj v. Rausch, 272 Neb. 394, 721 N.W.2d 655 (2006) (regarding standard of review for ruling on rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss). Thus, when deciding a motion to dismiss pursuant to § 25-415, the existence and enforceability of a forum selection clause may be determined by a review of the complaint if the contract containing such clause is attached to the complaint, but the court might need to consider additional evidence in order to determine whether any of the exceptions to enforcement of a forum selection clause under § 25-415 is present. We determine that the standard of review for a ruling on a motion to dismiss pursuant to § 25-415 should be similar to that for a ruling on a rule 12(b)(1) motion and therefore is as follows: Aside from factual findings, a ruling on a motion to dismiss pursuant to § 25-415 is subject to de novo review. Where the trial court's decision is based upon the complaint and its own determination of disputed factual issues, we review the factual findings under the clearly erroneous standard.