Opinion ID: 2545615
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: csx

Text: CSX, arguing collectively for the two corporate appellees and two individual appellees, argues that the summary judgment in its favor was proper because, it says, the amendment to the option agreements fixed the price Southdale and Wheeler/Phillips were to be paid for their land and because, it says, their fraud claims are barred by the statute of limitations, arguments we have rejected. CSX makes two brief arguments setting forth alternative bases upon which the summary judgment in its favor could be proper. It argues that the summary judgment should be affirmed because, it says, there were no unique tort damages presented here and because, it says, CSX had no duty to Southdale and Wheeler/Phillips and made no representations to them. The two CSX vice presidents with whom Strange spoke to try to arrange the purchase of the Shelton property were closely involved in the effort to purchase that property in a manner that would not trigger the most-favored-nation clause in the other option agreements. Hemphill especially was acutely aware of the reasons for having CSX purchase the Shelton property. He was the author of the e-mail describing the proposed CSX purchase as a ploy to avoid the effect of the most-favored-nation clause. He knew that CSX would be reimbursed in some fashion for the purchase price of the property. Hemphill testified that he went along with the plan proposed by Strange because he wanted CSX to have the railway business with Hyundai. Under the facts presented, we cannot conclude that the summary judgment as to CSX Transportation, Inc., can be affirmed on the basis that the evidence of CSX's involvement was insufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact or on any alternative ground. As to CSX Real Property, Inc., Evans, and Hemphill, however, CSX adopted in its appellee's brief the arguments made by Strange in his appellee's brief, which would include the argument that Wheeler/Phillips and Southdale's substitution of CSX Real Property, Evans, and Hemphill for fictitious defendant A in their second amended complaint did not relate back to the claims in the original complaint and therefore came too late. For the reasons stated in Part V.C., we hold that the doctrine of relation back barred the claims against CSX Real Property, Evans, and Hemphill; therefore, the summary judgment as to them is due to be affirmed.