Opinion ID: 449209
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Mass.Gen.Laws Ann. ch. 93A

Text: 42 Mass.Gen.Laws Ann. ch. 93A, Sec. 11, provides that [a]ny person who engages in the conduct of any trade or commerce and who suffers any loss of money ... as a result of the use or employment by another person who engages in any trade or commerce of an ... unfair or deceptive act or practice ... may ... bring an action ... for damages. Chedd-Angier alleges that Omni's action in terminating Chedd-Angier as producer of the series was an unfair and deceptive business practice in violation of Chapter 93A. Chedd-Angier bases its action on a claim of common law misrepresentation, Levings v. Forbes & Wallace, Inc., 8 Mass.App. 498, 504, 396 N.E.2d 149, 154 (1979), and on the claim that Omni's actions in general were unscrupulous. Omni contends that its practices were neither unfair nor deceptive, but moreover that it is exempt from liability under Chapter 93A. 3 The district court entered judgment in favor of Omni: 43 I am persuaded from the facts here that both parties had a legitimate dispute over the composition of this agreement. I do not disagree, and I accept the jury's verdict as to the contract itself. But I do not find any act of deception in Omni's response to the negotiations that went on between the parties. I think the matter can be fairly described as a falling out over a legitimate dispute as to control, perhaps, and a clash of artistic egos; but not such conduct or rascality as would disturb me. So I find and rule that on that count that there was no fraud, there was no unfair, deceptive acts and practices, and judgment on Count 6 will enter in favor of the defendant. 44 The record makes it abundantly clear that Omni's behavior in its relations with Chedd-Angier does not rise to the level of 93A liability. Chedd-Angier claims that Omni made numerous fraudulent misrepresentations and in reliance on those representations, Chedd-Angier expended time and money to its detriment. Specifically Chedd-Angier refers to the apparent inconsistency between the promotional material distributed by Omni, which referred to Chedd-Angier as the producer of a reporter format science series, and statements made by Omni at trial to the effect that a final decision had not been made prior to April 4 as to who would produce the series and whether a reporter format would be utilized. Additionally, Chedd-Angier alleges that Omni unfairly took advantage of Chedd-Angier's reputation and expertise in order to sell the series, intending all the while to produce the series in-house. Omni's delay in terminating Chedd-Angier, they claim, attests to Omni's fraudulent intentions. 45 Chedd-Angier's recitation of the events, however, omits certain crucial information. For example, the December 8 letter agreement expressly provided for extensive marketing of the proposed series. The parties agreed at that time to provide the advertising agents with the promotional tapes and materials that they need, using as far as possible elements that we have developed for the pilot itself. At the time of the December 8 agreement the parties envisioned production of a reporter format series, but had made, even under Chedd-Angier's theory, no binding agreement for the series. Accordingly, the promotional materials, although advertising the collaboration of Omni and Chedd-Angier as a fait accompli, necessarily reflected only the parties' tentative agreement. Claims by Chedd-Angier that it was misled by the pronouncements in the literature are, therefore, hard to comprehend. 46 This case falls within the ordinary rule that false statements of opinion, of conditions to exist in the future, or of matters promissory in nature are not actionable in a claim for misrepresentation. Yerid v. Mason, 341 Mass. 527, 530, 170 N.E.2d 718 (1960), cited in Saxon Theatre Corp. of Boston v. Sage, 347 Mass. 662, 667, 200 N.E.2d 241 (1964); Continental Financial Services Co. v. The First National Boston Corp., No. 82-1505-T, slip op. (D.Mass. August 30, 1984). Chedd-Angier's reliance on Cellucci v. Sun Oil Co., 2 Mass.App. 722, 320 N.E.2d 919 (1974), aff'd., 368 Mass. 811, 331 N.E.2d 813 (1975) is misplaced. Although the basis of the misrepresentation in Cellucci was a future event, the signing of the contract, it was in the exclusive control of the defendant. Here settlement of the contract terms involved negotiation between the parties on a number of issues which were unresolved, even according to Chedd-Angier, through mid-March. Reliance on the promotional materials, at least prior to that point, was unreasonable. Saxon Theatre Corp. of Boston v. Sage, 347 Mass. at 667, 200 N.E.2d 241. After the April 4 meeting, in which the use of reporters was again brought into question, Chedd-Angier was put on notice that any reliance on the promotional materials was unjustified. 47 There is, in addition, little evidence in the record to support Chedd-Angier's contention that the statements in the promotional literature were knowingly false when made. Chedd-Angier points us to no direct evidence that Omni intended, for example, never to use a reporter format. Similarly, the record does not support the claim that Omni, by its words or actions, tried to induce Chedd-Angier to act in reliance on the representations in the promotional materials. Guccione, after all, never relinquished creative control over the series production. Nor was he silent about his criticisms of the promotional tape. 48 Perhaps the most damaging evidence against Omni was its thirteen day delay in informing Chedd-Angier of its decision not to use the reporter format and to form its own production company. We believe, however, that this delay reflects lack of complete candor between the parties, rather than a violation of Chapter 93A. Therefore, even if Mass.Gen.Laws ch. 93A did apply to Omni, we affirm the district court's judgment on this issue. 49 Finally, Chedd-Angier argues that the district court's ruling on the 93A claim is irreconcilable with the court's earlier decision to submit the common law misrepresentation claim to the jury. Assuming without deciding that 93A requires no more proof of deception than common law misrepresentation, we find nothing inconsistent in ruling that the evidence is sufficient to go to the jury on misrepresentation, while at the same time it fails to persuade the court of 93A liability. 50 We find all remaining claims to be without merit. The judgment of the district court is 51 Affirmed.