Opinion ID: 3011059
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Enhanced Value of the Franchise

Text: Cooper also contends the District Court erred in refusing to allow it to amend its expert report to reflect the 9 enhanced value that Cooper's franchise would have received between November 1991 and March 1994, if Amana had allowed it to partake in the expansion of Amana's products lines that occurred during that time. Allegedly, three other Amana distributors were given access to the additional brands (Caloric, Modern Maid, and Speed Queen) that had been consolidated by Amana's parent company, Raytheon. Cooper claims it was denied access to these additional lines solely because Amana was in the process of attempting to terminate Cooper's franchise; thus, Cooper should be allowed to include the value of these lines as a component of its damages.1 It is unclear whether Amana denied Cooper access to the additional product lines solely because of the pending litigation. But in any event, Amana was under no legal obligation to offer an expanded product line to Cooper, only to maintain the status quo as required by the injunction that was in effect at the time. As of March 8, 1994, Cooper had never had access to the additional lines and did not have the prospect of access in the future. We believe the expansion offered to other Amana distributors was properly excluded from the calculation of the Cooper franchise's value on that date.