Opinion ID: 398246
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Minimum Contacts with Louisiana

Text: 25 The district court stated that the existence of a contract to be performed in the state could establish the requisite minimum contacts, Gold Kist, Inc. v. Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Company, supra, 623 F.2d 375, 382 n.5 (5th Cir. 1980); Product Promotions, Inc. v. Cousteau, supra, 495 F.2d at 495-96, but then went on to hold that no prima facie existence of a contract to sell had been established. 26 We first note that this court has emphasized that in applying the minimum contacts prong of the due process test, the number of contacts with the forum is not determinative, but the contacts must support an inference that the nonresident defendant purposefully availed himself of the benefits of the forum state, Product Promotion v. Cousteau, supra, 495 F.2d at 495, and that even activities outside one state can fulfill this requirement if they have reasonably foreseeable consequences within the state. Id. 495 F.2d at 496. See World-Wide Volkswagen Corporation, et al. v. Woodson, 444 U.S. 286, 296, 100 S.Ct. 559, 567, 62 L.Ed.2d 490 (1980). 7 As we recognized in Standard Fittings Co. v. Sapag, S.A., supra, 625 F.2d at 640-41, for the purposes of in personam jurisdiction under the Louisiana Long-Arm Statute, since the statute extends to the full limits of due process, finalization of the negotiation process is not required. Id. 625 F.2d at 641. 27 We further disagree with the district court's characterization of the transactions involved. As earlier noted, Louisiana law governs the validity and interpretation of this contract to buy/sell Louisiana immovable property. 28 The initial offer to purchase was made by Shale in its bid reply form. The February 2, 1979 telegram from the Quashas was characterized by the trial court as a conditional acceptance. In Louisiana the acceptance must conform in all things to the offer, La.C.C. art. 1805, 8 otherwise it amounts to a new offer (counteroffer) which must be accepted in order to bind the parties. La.C.C. arts. 1806, 1808. 9 Louisiana State Board of Education v. Lindsay, 227 La. 553, 79 So.2d 879, 887 (1954). 29 The telegram from the Quashas contained the condition that ten percent earnest money be deposited in escrow by a certain date. This condition effectively transformed the expected acceptance into a counteroffer. 10 The return telegram from Shale, acknowledg(ing) receipt of (the) acceptance wire ... and concur(ing) with conditions, must be viewed as Shale's acceptance, evidencing the intent of the defendants to agree to the condition in the counteroffer before the escrow deposit was made. 30 Under Louisiana law the contract of sale is perfected when there exists an agreement, an object, a price, and when, for immovables, the agreement is reduced to writing. La.C.C. art. 2456. 11 The sale may be made subject to a condition. La.C.C. art. 2457. A conditional obligation in Louisiana depends on an uncertain event, La.C.C. art. 2021; however, the contract itself may have been created by consent of the parties. Article 2028 of the Civil Code provides 31 Art. 2028. Completion of conditional contract by general rule of consent 32 Art. 2028 The contract of which the condition forms a part is, like all others, complete by the assent of the parties; the obligee has a right of which the obligor can not deprive him; its exercise is only suspended, or may be defeated, according to the nature of the condition. (emphasis added). 33 We thus find that the plaintiffs have made a prima facie showing of the existence of a contract to be performed in Louisiana sufficient to justify the assertion of in personam jurisdiction over the defendants in Louisiana. However, as the district court noted, the enforceability of this contract, under the present circumstances, is a question which addresses itself more to the merits of the suit than to the issues raised by the motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. We therefore do not decide this issue.