Seventh-Inning Stretch · The Paper Chase
The Promised Franchise
Major League Baseball v. Morsani (2001)
Charge: Tortious interference - investor says baseball broke its promise of a franchise; issue is whether the time limit bars the suit (suit against baseball's governing bodies)Court: Supreme Court of FloridaDocket: The Paper Chase
Can a party that promised a franchise to keep an investor from suing later rely on the statute of limitations to defeat his claim?
The facts
In 1984 a Florida investor bought a minority stake in a big-league club, expecting to buy control later. Instead the majority was sold to someone else, and baseball officials pressed him to give up his minority stake at a deep discount. He says they promised he would be at the top of the list for a new franchise by 1993, and warned he would never own a team otherwise. He never got one, while other franchises were awarded. He sued in 1992, years after some events. Baseball argued the statute of limitations had expired and Florida's tolling statute allowed no exceptions.
You have the facts the court had. Guilty or not guilty? Call it in the game with your friends, then see what the court actually decided. Wrong call, you drink.
Citation: Major League Baseball v. Morsani, 790 So. 2d 1071 (Fla. 2001)
Read more at syfert.com. The source reveals the outcome.