Case: 2:12-cv-00104-ALM-EPD Doc #: 149 Filed: 09/20/13 Page: 5 of 12 PAGED #: 1648 V. ANALYSIS Beck raises two objections to Transact's claims. First, Beck moves to dismiss Transact's causes of actions against it arising from breach of contract, on the grounds that no contract existed between Beck and Transact. (Beck's Motion to Dismiss, Doc. 76 at 8-10). Second, Beck asserts that, regarding all of Transact's claims, Transact cannot recover either in law or equity, because oil and gas leases fall under the meaning of "real estate" as defined in the Ohio Revised Code, compensation for the brokering of which requires a person or entity to be a licensed "real estate broker" within the meaning of O.R.C. 4735.01(A). (Doc. 76 at 10-14). Because Transact failed to plead and prove that it is a licensed real estate broker, Beck argues, O.R.C. 4735.21 bars recovery of unpaid fees. (Doc. 76 at 15-19). Because federal jurisdiction in this case is premised on diversity, the Court applies Ohio substantive law. Savedoff v. Access Gip., Inc., 524 F.3d 754, 762 (6th Cir. 2008). In resolving issues under Ohio law, the Court "lookfs] to the final decisions of [Ohio's] highest court, and, if there are no decisions directly on point," this Court must make "an Erie guess to determine how that court, if presented with the issue, would resolve it." Conlin v. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., 714 F.3d 355, 358-59 (6th Cir. 2013) (referencing Erie R.R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 78 (1938)). 1 this undertaking, "intermediate state appellate courts' decisions are also viewed as persuasive unless it is shown that the state's highest court would decide the issue differently." Id. at 359 (internal quotation omitted). A. Breach of Contract Claims A claim for breach of contract under Ohio law requires that a claimant prove: (1) the existence of a contract; (2) performance by the plaintiff; (3) breach by the defendant; and (4) damage or loss to the plaintiff Savedoff, 524 F.3d at 762. Proof of all of the essential elements of a contract is required in order to maintain a breach of contract claim. Kostelnik v. Helper, 770 N.E.2d 58, 61 (Ohio 2002). For its part, Transact insists that it never intended to assert a breach of contract claim against Beck. (Transact's Opp. to Beck's Motion to Dismiss, Doc. 85 at 5). If so, it is difficult to understand 5
Case: 2:12-cv-00104-ALM-EPD Doc #: 149 Filed: 09/20/13 Page: 6 of 12 PAGEID #: 1649 what Transact intended when it incorporated into its Complaint not only the factual allegations found in Wellington's Amended Complaint, but also all five Counts asserted by Wellington against Beck including, presumably, Counts I, II, and V of Wellington's Amended Complaint, each for breach of contract. (See Doc. 61 at 1 causes of action asserted against Beck in Wellington's Amended Complaint"). To the extent that Transact asserts claims against Beck under the doctrines of unjust enrichment and quantum meruit, such claims sound in equity, not contract, and are not challenged by Beck in this portion of its Motion to Dismiss. But as Beck correctly points out, Transact has offered no allegations that a contract ever existed between it and Beck. Without a contract, there can be no breach. Shampton v, Springboro, 786 N.E.2d 883, 887 (Ohio 2003). As such, Counts III, IV, and VII of Transact's Amended Complaint are hereby DISMISSED. B. Real Estate Claims The bulk of Beck's argument challenges the ability of Transact to recover, either in law or equity, on the grounds that Transact is not a licensed real estate broker in Ohio. Beck's argument proceeds, at core, in four steps: (1) oil and gas leases are included within the meaning of "real estate" as defined by 4735.01(B) estate" for a commission is a "real estate broker" under O.R.C. 4735.01(A) 2 4735.01(B) provides that "'Meal estate' includes leaseholds as well as any and every interest or estate in land situated in this state, whether corporeal or incorporeal, whether freehold or nonfreehold, and the improvements on the land, but does not include cemetery interment rights." - 4735.01(A) provides, in relevant part, that "'Meal estate broker' includes any person, partnership, association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation, foreign or domestic, who for another,, and who for a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration, or with the intention, or in the expectation, or upon the promise of receiving or collecting a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration (1) Sells, exchanges, purchases, rents, or leases, or negotiates the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of any real estate; (2) Offers, attempts, or agrees to negotiate the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of any real estate; (3) Lists, or offers, attempts, or agrees to list, or auctions, or offers, attempts, or agrees to auction, any real estate;..." 4 4735.01(H) provides that "[a]ny person, partnership, association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation, who, for another, in consideration of compensation, by fee, commission, salary, or otherwise, or with the intention, in the expectation, or upon the promise of receiving or collecting a fee, does, or offers, attempts, or agrees to engage in, any single act or transaction contained in the definition of a real estate 6
Case: 2:12-cv-00104-ALM-EPD Doc#: 149 Filed: 09/20/13 Page: 7 of 12 PAGED #: 1650 estate broker" must be licensed in Ohio, pursuant to O.R.C. 4735.02(A) accrue to, and no compensation can be collected by, real estate brokers who are unlicensed, under O.R.C. 4735.2I(A) The Court does not agree. Oil and gas leases are not "real estate" under Ohio law. Beck's tidy argumentation, focused as it is on statutory language, ignores the fact that, in practice, oil and gas leases have not historically been considered interests in land in Ohio. A thorough survey of Ohio case law leaves this Court convinced that the Ohio Supreme Court, if given the occasion to rule on this issue today, would so hold. In its previous review and analysis of these cases, this Court reasoned that, in Ohio, "oil and gas leases are not leases as that teini is traditionally used"; instead, "Ohio courts appear to recognize that such leases create a license to enter upon the land for the purpose of exploring and drilling for oil and gas." In re Frederick Petroleum Corp., 98 B.R. 762, 766 (S.D. Ohio 1989). In Frederick, this Court considered the application of the bankruptcy laws, specifically 11 365(a), to oil and gas leases in Ohio. Because 365(a) deals with "leases of real property," the Court was required to determine the nature of oil and gas leases in Ohio. After conceding that the exact nature of a lessee's interest under an oil and gas lease has not be clearly established in Ohio," 98 B.R. at 763, the Court undertook a thorough examination of Ohio case law, allowing it to conclude that "an oil and gas lease is regarded under Ohio law as being more than a mere rental of the land for a specified term such as would be involved in a traditional lease." Id. at 766. broker, whether an act is an incidental part of a transaction, or the entire transaction, shall be constituted a real estate broker or real estate salesperson under this chapter." 5 4735,02(A) provides, in relevant part, that "Except [when an out in Ohio], no person, partnership, association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation shall act as a real estate broker or real estate salesperson, or advertise or assume to act as such, without first being licensed as provided in this chapter." 6 4735,21(A) provides, in relevant part, that "Ho right of action shall accrue to any person, partnership, association, or corporation for the collection of compensation for the performance of the acts mentioned in section 4735.01 of the Revised Code, without alleging and proving that such person, partnership, association, or corporation was licensed as a real estate broker or foreign real estate dealer." 7