Opinion ID: 3010860
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Parts Installed Before December 1991

Text: In its motion for summary judgment on the issue of 704 damages, Liberty sought to recover not only the incremental reimbursements it was denied as a result of the surcharge, but also additional reimbursements for warranty parts installed before December 12, 1991, the effective date of Ford's agreement to credit Liberty at retail rates subject to the surcharge. Citing Ford's warranty manual, which permits dealers to submit reimbursement claims for up to one year after a warranty part is installed, Liberty argued that because it demanded retail-rate reimbursements on December 12, 1991, it was entitled to additional reimbursements to supplement the standard reimbursements it had received for parts installed during the year preceding December 12, 1991. See February 26, 1997 slip op. at 6. The district court held that, [t]his legal issue was never addressed during the liability phase of this case because Liberty explicitly waived all claims other than its claim for illegal surcharge since December 12, 1991. Id. at 7. The district court cited Liberty's brief regarding liability, in which Liberty expressly stated that it claim[ed] liability only on the reimbursement amounts recovered by Ford by illegal surcharge since December 1991. Thus, the court concluded, [b]ecause the court did not grant summary judgment as to liability on this issue, it cannot now award damages. Id. Liberty's briefs to this court do not challenge the waiver determination that the district court found dispositive, but rather address only the merits of Liberty's entitlement to additional reimbursements for parts installed before December 12, 1991.22 The district court's order entering _________________________________________________________________ 22. Liberty addresses the waiver issue only by stating that Ford's liability for retail payment on claims submitted since December 12, 1991 was never waived. It is recognized in the Court's Orders and decisions, with the exception of the final ruling on . . . damages. Reply br. at 12 (emphasis added). The district court's orders did not recognize any liability as to warranty parts installed before December 12, 1991. In the portion of Liberty's brief asserting that it preserved the issue in the district court, Liberty states only that it raised the issue as to