Opinion ID: 888399
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶4 Larry Semenza (“Semenza”) is a livestock dealer doing business in Montana as Semenza Cattle Company. Don Kniss (“Kniss”) is an Oklahoma resident who has bought and sold cattle, but is not a registered or bonded dealer. The two were introduced through a mutual business acquaintance, Harold Sagers (“Sagers”). Semenza agreed to sell Kniss cattle from the Broken O Ranch in Montana. Semenza shipped the cattle to Kniss in Oklahoma. Semenza was paid for the transaction through a $147,400 wire transfer from an Oklahoma corporation called Stockman’s Livestock Order Buying, Inc. ¶5 Several months later, Semenza and Kniss entered into a second cattle deal. Semenza agreed to sell 92 cows to Kniss for $950/head, or $87,400 total. Semenza shipped the cattle to Kniss in Okalahoma, and received a wire transfer from Stockman’s for $35,000. Semenza believes he is still owed $52,400. ¶6 Initially, Semenza filed a reparation complaint with the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA initiated an investigation, and took several affidavits, which are appended to Appellee Stockman’s brief. However, before the USDA concluded its 2 investigation, Semenza filed this suit in the Ninth Judicial District Court in Montana. Since Semenza elected to seek relief through the state judicial system, the USDA dismissed his complaint. Semenza filed breach of contract claims against both Kniss and Stockman’s, arguing that Kniss acted as Stockman’s agent. Only Stockman’s answered. ¶7 The District Court granted Stockman’s motion for summary judgment. The court found that no writing existed regarding either of the two cattle transactions. Since the sale of the cattle was covered by the U.C.C., and the purchase price exceeded $500, the oral contract was not enforceable unless there was a writing satisfying the statute of frauds. The court found that Semenza failed to produce such a writing, and thus held that the agreement was unenforceable. ¶8 The court also found that Semenza failed to produce a writing which gave Kniss the authority to act as Stockman’s agent. Section 28-10-203, MCA, provides that when the law requires a contract to be in writing, an agent’s authority to enter into that contract on behalf of the principal must also be bestowed in writing. Thus, the District Court found that Semenza could not enforce the purported oral contract against Stockman’s. ¶9 Absent an agency relationship between Kniss and Stockman’s, the District Court found that it had no personal jurisdiction over Stockman’s. After granting Stockman’s motion for summary judgment, the District Court dismissed Semenza’s complaint with prejudice, and awarded Stockman’s its costs and attorney’s fees.