OW Technologies, LLC v. OTO.Coach Inc.
OW TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
OW INTERNATIONAL, LLC
OTO.COACH INC.
Law Firm / Organization
Leigh Law
Lawyer(s)

Peter Leigh

Key Issues:

  1. Motion to Stay the Action:
    OTO.Coach Inc. (Defendant) sought to stay the plaintiffs' action, arguing Ontario was not the appropriate forum (forum non conveniens), suggesting Delaware as more suitable.

  2. Underlying Dispute:
    OW Technologies, LLC and OW International, LLC (Plaintiffs) sued for $1,878,626.37 USD (plus interest and costs) under a promissory note executed by OTO. The defendant argued Delaware jurisdiction should apply due to related litigation in Delaware over an agreement of purchase and sale (APS).

Court Findings:

  1. Jurisdiction:

    • OTO conceded Ontario courts have jurisdiction. The promissory note specifies Ontario law and was executed in Ontario.
    • Delaware lacks sufficient connection to the promissory note to override Ontario’s jurisdiction.
  2. Forum Non Conveniens:

    • Citing Van Breda (2012 SCC 17), the court held that OTO failed to establish Delaware as a more appropriate forum.
      • Factors supporting Ontario:
        • OTO is headquartered in Ontario.
        • The promissory note is governed by Ontario law.
        • Enforcement of any judgment would occur in Ontario.
      • Delaware factors lacked weight as the APS and Delaware litigation do not involve the plaintiffs.
  3. Substance of the Dispute:

    • The promissory note was separate from the APS litigation. Plaintiffs were not parties to the APS and had rejected terms linking the promissory note to APS representations.
  4. Costs Awarded:

    • The court ordered OTO to pay $20,000 in costs to the plaintiffs within 30 days.

Outcome:

The motion to stay the proceedings was dismissed, affirming Ontario as the proper forum for adjudicating the plaintiffs' claims under the promissory note.

Superior Court of Justice - Ontario
CV-23-00702428-0000
Civil litigation
$ 20,000
Plaintiff