Opinion ID: 628650
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Dismissal of the complaint as to the local defendants

Text: 29 Plaintiffs next appeal the district court's sua sponte dismissal of the case as to the local defendants. 14 They argue that the forum selection clause does not apply to noncontracting parties such as the American defendants. They argue that the district court's ruling is unconscionable in that it requires an Illinois plaintiff suing an Illinois defendant for acts which occurred in Illinois to bring its claim in England under English law. 30 A court may grant a motion to dismiss even as to nonmoving defendants where the nonmoving defendants are in a position similar to that of moving defendants or where the claims against all defendants are integrally related. Rosser v. Chrysler Corp., 864 F.2d 1299 (7th Cir.1988); Silverton v. Department of Treasury, 644 F.2d 1341, 1345 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 895, 102 S.Ct. 393, 70 L.Ed.2d 210 (1981); Loman Dev. Co. v. Daytona Hotel & Motel Suppliers, Inc., 817 F.2d 1533, 1537 (11th Cir.1987). 31 Here, the plaintiffs allege that the local defendants are agents of Lloyd's and Lime Street. The Complaint alleges that the omission and misrepresentations are attributable to all defendants. Counsel for both sides agree that the parties are indispensable to each other. We thus hold that the district court did not err in determining, under Rosser, that the local defendants are integrally related to the moving defendants such that the suit against all defendants should be kept in a single forum. We recognize, however, that dismissal of the suit as to the local defendants could have the effect of unjustly allowing these defendants to escape suit if an English court cannot gain personal jurisdiction over them or cannot serve them with process. We thus direct the district court to qualify its dismissal of the entire case on the condition that the local defendants agree to appear voluntarily in England if suit is refiled there. 15 32 For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court is affirmed.