Opinion ID: 2997698
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: BABA’s Breach of Contract Claim

Text: The district court ruled that BABA had produced no genuine issue of material fact that it had an enforceable agreement with the Riverboats. BABA challenges that ruling here, arguing that an agreement can be inferred from the three parties’ conduct. Specifically, BABA contends that a reasonable jury could have found that an agreement existed by virtue of the Riverboats having been aware of the Consulting Agreement between Near North and BABA when it signed an agreement to buy insurance from Near North, and the Riverboats having written its insurance premium checks payable to BABA. Under Indiana law a contract may be established by conduct, but only if it can be inferred that the parties mutually intended to be bound by the agreement. See Indianapolis v. Twin Lakes Enterprises, Inc., 568 N.E.2d 1073, 1079 (Ind.Ct.App. 1991). The district court was correct that the record contains no evidence that the Riverboats intended to be bound to an agreement with BABA. The Riverboats bought insurance from Near North. The Riverboats ultimately sent all of their checks in payment of insurance premium fees to Near North; BABA admits that it was not entitled to these fees. Rather, to the extent that BABA had an enforceable agreement, it was with Near North, which 6 No. 04-2750 paid BABA a commission pursuant to their Consulting Agreement. Tellingly, when BABA stopped receiving its commission fees, it complained not to the Riverboats, but to Near North. The evidence in no way inferred the creation of an enforceable agreement with the Riverboats. It was not error for the district court to conclude that there was no contract to breach.