Opinion ID: 787030
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ammo Dump Music

Text: 25 Despite having been advised by Warner/Chappell that it was not authorized to accept service for Ammo Dump Music or Carrumba Music, Bridgeport attempted to serve the amended complaint on Ammo Dump Music through Warner/Chappell by mailing it to CT Corporation Systems, which is authorized to accept service on behalf of Warner/Chappell. Bridgeport contends that it properly served Ammo Dump Music by serving a managing agent as permitted by Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(h)(1). 6 26 A managing agent is one authorized to transact all business of a particular kind at a particular place and must be vested with powers of discretion rather than being under direct superior control. See Grammenos v. Lemos, 457 F.2d 1067, 1073 (2d Cir.1972). Another factor to consider is the exclusivity of the relationship between Warner/Chappell and Ammo Dump Music. See Dodco, Inc. v. Am. Bonding Co., 7 F.3d 1387, 1388-89 (8th Cir.1993) (salesman did not exclusively represent the defendant). In support of its claim that Warner/Chappell is a managing agent for Ammo Dump Music, Bridgeport relies on the affidavit of Ed Pierson, an executive vice-president for Warner/Chappell, that was filed in opposition to Bridgeport's motion for entry of default judgment against Ammo Dump Music. 27 Pierson stated that Warner/Chappell works as a limited agent for thousands of writers and their publishing entities, but has never been authorized to accept service of process on behalf of a writer or publishing company. Generally, Warner/Chappell issues licenses to companies that want to use musical compositions in television, movies, video games, and the like. It collects the income generated from such licenses and distributes the royalty shares to the writers and/or their publishing entities. There was no evidence in the record concerning the amount of discretion Warner/Chappell can exercise with respect to the licensing of works owned by Ammo Dump Music. See Jennings v. McCall Corp., 320 F.2d 64 (8th Cir.1963) (salesman was not managing agent where he was hired to secure new accounts but did not have discretion to establish prices, terms, or conditions of contracts and whose orders were subject to company approval). Because Bridgeport failed to come forward with evidence supporting a finding that Warner/Chappell was a managing agent of Ammo Dump Music for purposes of Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(h)(1), the district court did not err by dismissing the action against Ammo Dump Music for lack of proper service of process.