Opinion
16-cv-03401
08-13-2021
REPUBLIC TECHNOLOGIES (NA), LLC and REPUBLIC TOBACCO, L.P., Plaintiffs, v. BBK TOBACCO & FOODS, LLP d/b/a HBI INTERNATIONAL, Defendant, BBK TOBACCO & FOODS, LLP d/b/a HBI INTERNATIONAL, Counter-Plaintiff, v. REPUBLIC TECHNOLOGIES NA, LLC, REPUBLIC TOBACCO, L.P., and VANILLA LA GROUP, INC. Counter-Defendants.
BBK TOBACCO & FOODS, LLC d/b/a HBI INTERNATIONAL Frank G. Long, (Arizona Bar Number #012245) Charles S. Price (Arizona Bar Number 6197) Ariana F. Pellegrino (Michigan Bar Number #79104) Dickinson Wright PLLC Jennifer L. Fitzgerald David S. Becker D. Richard Self Freeborn & Peters LLP
BBK TOBACCO & FOODS, LLC d/b/a HBI INTERNATIONAL
Frank G. Long, (Arizona Bar Number #012245)
Charles S. Price (Arizona Bar Number 6197)
Ariana F. Pellegrino (Michigan Bar Number #79104)
Dickinson Wright PLLC
Jennifer L. Fitzgerald
David S. Becker
D. Richard Self
Freeborn & Peters LLP
BBK TOBACCO & FOODS, LLP D/B/A HBI INTERNATIONAL'S RENEWED MOTION FOR JUDGMENT AS A MATTER OF LAW
JUDGE THOMAS M. DURKIN
BBK Tobacco & Foods, LLP d/b/a HBI International (“HBI”) hereby moves for judgment as a matter of law against Defendants Republic Technologies (NA), LLC, and Republic Tobacco, L.P. (“Republic”) pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50(b).
This relief is proper for the reasons set forth in the memorandum of law filed concurrently herewith. Specifically, Republic's state-law claims in Counts IV and V of its Second Amended Complaint fail because Republic did not demonstrate at trial that HBI's conduct occurred “primarily and substantially in Illinois.” Second, all of Republic's claims in this case should nevertheless be barred by HBI's laches and estoppel affirmative defenses.