Opinion ID: 2494559
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Other Textron Defendants

Text: The Textron parent and Regan, Textron Financial's employee, claim the benefit of the forum-selection clauses and argue that their motion to dismiss the plaintiffs' claims against them should have been dismissed pursuant to those clauses. As stated above, the language of the forum-selection clauses does not expressly encompass nonparties to the financing agreements. However, the clauses do state that the debtorsdefined by the various financing agreements as Ryan Creek Acquisitions, Alabama Boating, and Logan Martinconsent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of Rhode Island, sitting in Providence, Rhode Island and the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island for all purposes in connection with this Agreement.  (Emphasis added.) When interpreting a contract, this Court must first look to the plain language of the contract and determine whether that language is ambiguous. `[A] court should give the terms of the agreement their clear and plain meaning and should presume that the parties intended what the terms of the agreement clearly state.' Ex parte Dan Tucker Auto Sales, Inc., 718 So.2d 33, 36 (Ala. 1998) (citing Pacific Enters. Oil Co. (USA) v. Howell Petroleum Corp., 614 So.2d 409 (Ala.1993)). Turner v. West Ridge Apartments, Inc., 893 So.2d 332, 335 (Ala.2004). In their complaint, Ryan Creek Acquisitions, Alabama Boating, and Logan Martin allege that the Textron parent and Regan engaged in various acts of fraud and negligence related to Textron Financial's financing of inventory for Ryan Creek Acquisitions, Alabama Boating, and Logan Martin. The claims asserted against the Textron parent and Regan by Ryan Creek Acquisitions, Alabama Boating, and Logan Martin, therefore, are asserted by debtors ... in connection with the financing agreements. Because the language of the forum-selection clauses is broad enough to include the claims asserted against the Textron parent and Regan by the debtors, the Textron parent and Regan have shown a clear legal right to the dismissal of the claims asserted against them by those plaintiffs.