Opinion ID: 752943
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Nature and Subject Matter Analysis

Text: 21 Plaintiff has not pointed to any written evidence of a contract between itself and the defendants. For purposes of reviewing the motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, we therefore take as true the facts alleged in plaintiff's complaint. Those facts are as follows: Duke Petroleum and Drakos asked plaintiff to find a subcharter; plaintiff agreed and thought the Gulf lighterage trade offered the best prospect for subchartering the M/V RICH DUKE; and defendants authorized plaintiff to contact defendant OMI, a Gulf operator, among others, with regard to signing a subcharter. Essentially then, the contract between plaintiff and defendants involves plaintiff acting as a broker for Duke Petroleum and Drakos. Shipping Services undertook no other responsibilities. Nor does plaintiff's purported role in giving advice about seeking a subcharter in the Gulf lighterage trade elevate its status to anything other than a broker. Plaintiff makes no other affirmative showing that its contract is maritime in nature. V Plaintiff's Remaining Causes of Action 22 The district court also correctly determined that the plaintiff's unjust enrichment claim does not fall within admiralty jurisdiction. See Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. v. Overseas Oil Carriers, Inc., 553 F.2d 830, 835 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 859, 98 S.Ct. 183, 54 L.Ed.2d 131 (1977) ([Q]uasi-contractual claims may be considered by the federal courts in admiralty if they arise out of maritime contracts ... or other inherently maritime transactions.). Because plaintiff has not shown that its contractual services involved maritime commerce, neither does plaintiff's claim for unjust enrichment arising out of that agreement come within admiralty jurisdiction. 23 Regarding the tortious interference claim asserted against defendant OMI, none of the briefs submitted address the issue. Considering that OMI included extensive research in its memorandum of law to the district court in support of its motion to dismiss, and that plaintiff did not attempt to refute this argument either in the court below or on appeal, we affirm Judge Dorsey's conclusion that admiralty jurisdiction is not present.