Opinion ID: 1667169
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether the incorporation of the forum selection clause into the contract was the result of fraud, undue influence or overweening bargaining power.

Text: ¶ 39. We first look to see whether the contract was entered as a result of fraud, undue influence, or overweening bargaining power. Here, there are no allegations of fraud, undue influence, or overweening bargaining power with respect to the preparation and execution of the Representative Agreement. To the contrary, Hood testified that all was well with Titan before St. Paul's involvement. ¶ 40. HICO and Hood include an argument that the clause was not negotiated, but rather was included as part of Titan's boilerplate contract language. Even if this claim is true, we hardly accept the notion that boilerplate contract language is unenforceable. To permit a party when sued on a written contract, to admit that he signed it but to deny that it expresses the agreement he made or to allow him to admit that he signed it but did not read it or know its stipulations would absolutely destroy the value of all contracts. Busching v. Griffin, 542 So.2d 860, 865 (Miss.1989). ¶ 41. With limited exceptions, persons enjoy the freedom to contract. When they do, they are bound by the terms of their contracts. HICO, by and through Hood, freely entered into the Representative Agreement, which consisted of six typed pages. Some provisions were heavily negotiated  some were not. Few are immune from the societal demands and modern commerce considerations which require compliance with the terms of pre-written contracts every day. Indeed, it is doubtful that any of the insurance products sold by Hood, HICO, Delaney or Old South, were free of boilerplate provisions which they claim are unenforceable. We can think of no rational argument that seasoned, sophisticated business persons (such as those involved here) should not be held to the terms of their contracts. This is so, even where they claim that they did not read the entire contract before signing it. Accordingly, this Zapata factor weighs heavily in favor of enforcing the forum selection clause.