Opinion ID: 398983
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 3 On May 25, 1974, a fire destroyed Rutledge Oil's plant in Kansas City, Missouri. According to the appellant, a MoPac representative gave Rutledge Oil's president misleading advice concerning the most economical way to handle its railroad cars then en route to the destroyed Kansas City plant. Rutledge Oil asserts that it decided to leave its cars on MoPac's track in reliance on MoPac's assurances that no demurrage charge would be assessed. 4 On July 27, 1976, MoPac sued Rutledge Oil under the tariff to collect $25,920 in demurrage charges incurred between May 24, 1974 and September 27, 1974. In response, Rutledge Oil argued that MoPac should be estopped from asserting its claim because it incorrectly represented that Rutledge Oil would not be charged for keeping its cars on MoPac's tracks. Rutledge Oil also counterclaimed for fraud, claiming that MoPac should not profit from concealing from Rutledge Oil its option to hold its cars on its own tracks, thereby avoiding demurrage charges. 3 5 On April 14, 1981, the district court granted MoPac summary judgment on its complaint. It rejected Rutledge Oil's estoppel defense and held that allowing Rutledge Oil to avoid paying the tariff's demurrage charges could be construed as a rate preference forbidden by the Interstate Commerce Act. The court subsequently dismissed the counterclaim for the same reason, and entered final judgment for MoPac on June 22, 1981. 6