Opinion ID: 454832
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: dismissal of claims against greenwich

Text: 61 Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 14(c), appellants tendered Greenwich to the plaintiffs as a party defendant to the main demand. Aquarius and TMM also brought third-party claims for contribution and indemnity against Greenwich. Greenwich moved for a stay of all of the claims against it. The district court granted the stay only as to the claims of TMM for indemnity and contribution. The stay was granted pending arbitration in New York pursuant to an arbitration clause in the voyage charter party. The stay was denied as to all other claims. In its amended judgment the district court dismissed all of the claims against Greenwich. Defendants appeal the dismissal of each claim. 62 Appellants argue that their demand that there be judgment in favor of one or more of the plaintiffs and against Greenwich should not have been dismissed. The argument is based solely on appellants' claim that Greenwich is a COGSA carrier. Since the district court's finding that Greenwich was not a carrier is not clearly erroneous, it was not error to dismiss the claim. 63 We agree with appellants that the district court erred by dismissing TMM's claims for indemnity and contribution. These claims were stayed pending arbitration and the stay had not been lifted. We vacate the judgment of dismissal of TMM's third-party claims against Greenwich. 64 Aquarius' third-party claims were not stayed. Since there was no contractual privity between Aquarius and Greenwich, Aquarius' claims must be based on the negligence or actual fault of Greenwich. By stipulation, the parties submitted the entire case to the court on written briefs, depositions, and other documentary evidence in the record. That record contains no affirmative evidence of fault on the part of Greenwich. Since Aquarius failed to present any evidence in support of its claims, it was not error for the district court to dismiss.